Cassie Gaines
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Cassie Gaines (January 9, 1948 – October 20, 1977) was an American singer. She was a member of female gospel vocal trio The Honkettes, who in 1975 became the backup singers for Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
When Lynyrd Skynyrd was in need of a guitar player to replace recently departed Ed King, Cassie recommended her brother, Steve Gaines, who joined the band soon after.
On October 20, 1977, a plane carrying the band between shows from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi. The crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, as well as pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.
Cassie and Steve Gaines were buried in Orange Park, Florida in 1977.
Cassie and Steve Gaines are the subject of 2001 song Cassie's Brother by alt-country band Drive-By Truckers.
