Cassie Gaines Biography

Cassie Gaines was an American singer best known for her association with the southern rock band ‘Lynyrd Skynyrd’ as a backup singer. Before joining the band, she was an original cast member of a school play titled ‘Hairspray.’ Shortly after performing in the play, she was approached by singer JoJo Billingsley, who was sent by Ronnie Van Zant, the band head and lead vocalist of ‘Lynyrd Skynyrd’ and asked to join the band as a backing vocalist. At that time, Cassie was unaware of the band’s existence, so Billingsley gave her a copy of band’s first two albums in order to make her acquainted with their work. She joined the band and became one of the members of the ‘The Honkettes’ - a female gospel vocal trio of ‘Lynyrd Skynyrd’ in late 1975, along with the JoJo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins. She had a successful career with the band, but unfortunately met a tragic end at the young age of 29. She died along with her younger brother and several band members in a plane crash on October 20, 1977. She and her brother are the subjects of the 2001 song ‘Cassie's Brother’ by an alt-country band ‘Drive-By Truckers’.