The Aftermath
After the crash and the press that ensued, their album Street Survivors went platinum. And since the album cover featured the band amid flames, the steps were made to change it. Out of respect for the deceased (and at the request of Steve’s widow, Teresa Gaines), MCA Records replaced the original cover with the album’s back photo. 30 years later, for the deluxe CD version of Street Survivors, the original cover was restored.
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Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the accident, reuniting on one occasion only to perform an instrumental version of “Free Bird” at a Volunteer Jam in 1979. Collins, Rossington, Powell, and Pyle were joined by Daniels. Leon Wilkeson, who was still getting physical therapy for his broken left arm, was there, along with Judy Van Zant, Teresa Gaines, JoJo Billingsley, and Leslie Hawkins. In the decades after that, some of the survivors passed away, while others did their best to hang on. But many were dealing with their own demons.
One band member, in particular, had a hard go…