Ronnie Van Zant
On October 20, 1977, a plane carrying the band between shows from Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ran out of fuel outside Gillsburg, Mississippi. The passengers had been informed about potential problems with the Convair CV-240 and were told to brace for a crash. Van Zant died on impact from head injuries suffered after the aircraft struck a tree. Bandmates Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines, along with assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray, were also killed. The rest of the band was seriously injured. Van Zant was 29 years old.
Ronnie Lang
Ronnie Lang (sometimes spelled Ronny; born July 24, 1929) is an American jazz alto saxophonist. His professional début was with Hoagy Carmichael's Teenagers. He also played with Earle Spencer (1946), Ike Carpenter, and Skinnay Ennis (1947). Lang gained attention during his two tenures with Les Brown's Orchestra (1949–50 and 1953–56). He recorded with the Dave Pell Octet in the mid-1950s. During this time he attended Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences studying music and woodwinds. In 1958 he became a prolific studio musician in Los Angeles, often employed by Henry Mancini. Lang also recorded with Pete Rugolo (1956), Bob Thiele (1975), and Peggy Lee (1975).