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Keyboard player for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Who can forget his piano on Freebird?

Indeed
R.I.P. Billy

Billy Powell was the best musician in Lynyrd Skynyrd. He came up with the most challenging and innovative piano parts that have ever come down the pipe in American Rock n' Roll. That band wouldn't have made it without him. Besides being a musician who could have done his own thing and been just as successful (he remained loyal to the band after many others would have walked out, for less reasons than he had), he was known as being a guy with a lot of common sense...a kind of diplomat between warring factions within the band. Lynyrd Skynyrd made Guns N' Roses' internal quarrels look like minor disagreements compared to the atmosphere of violence, upheaval and insanity that went on at a Lynyrd Skynyrd backstage meeting. Yet somehow those guys managed to pull off the impossible dream...It was Billy Powell who was holding that act together. That leaves Gary Rossington as the only original member of the band, unless Ed King has rejoined...I haven't checked. Adios, Billy, and thanks for giving us such fantastic music for so many years. WC1

Cat,you're spot on.
Billy always seemed to me to be the down to earh guy who was the glue that held things together at times.
RIP Billy.

"...play it pretty for Atlanta..."