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; she was 29 years old. 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.
