The last poker game on board: Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash survivors share their memories

Learn about the last poker game aboard the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane before the tragic 1977 crash — survivors' memories and details of that fateful evening.

October 20, 1977, became a day that forever changed Craig Reed’s life. That evening, the 26-year-old stage technician, who had worked with Lynyrd Skynyrd for four years, was sitting in the tail of the band’s private plane, flying 1,800 meters above the forests of Mississippi, and taking part in one of the most intense poker games of his life. Surrounded by musicians and crew members, with a joint in hand and a hangover from the night before, Reed was up about $1,700—the stakes were truly high. But soon, this game became the last not only for him, but for the band itself: just minutes later, the plane lost both engines and crashed, claiming the lives of key band members and turning an ordinary poker game into a tragic page in rock music history. Context: Lynyrd Skynyrd and Their Path to Rock Legend By 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd were at the peak of their career. The band, founded by teenagers from the working-class neighborhoods of Jacksonville, Florida, had already released immortal hits like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird," and on October 17, 1977—just three days before the disaster—unveiled their fifth album, Street Survivors . At this time, the musicians were touring the US on private planes, performing at the largest venues, and sharing stages with giants like The Who and REO Speedwagon. Craig Reed met the band in 1973 when he helped unload their equipment in Kent, Ohio, during their debut album tour. His professionalism and dedication made him a senior member of the technical crew. Among other key figures connected to the band were: Ronnie Van Zant — the frontman and vocalist, who was 29 at the time of the tragedy; Gene Odom — security manager, Van Zant’s childhood friend, and an experienced poker player; Mark Howard — lighting technician from Houston, Texas, who was 25 years old; Gary Rossington — guitarist, one of the band’s founders; Rickey Medlocke — future guitarist of the band, who was their drummer in 1971 and returned as a guitarist in 1996. In an interview with PokerNews, Medlocke recalled that all the band members grew up together on the west side of Jacksonville, played in teen clubs, and that’s how their friendship and creative partnership formed. Poker On Board: The Tradition and Features of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Games Poker became an integral part of the band’s life on tour. During flights between cities—whether from Springfield to Chicago or Anaheim to Las Vegas—the musicians and crew passed the time at card tables. As Reed recalled, the games varied: Five Card Stud , Five Card Draw , Seven Card Stud , Acey-Deucey , No Peek —the format was chosen by the dealer, and the stakes started with a $5 or $10 ante, which was quite significant for a home game. The pot in such games could quickly grow from $200 to $400, and after a lucky hand—even up to $800. Among the most experienced players were Reed and Gene Odom, who, according to Reed, was a real "shark"—a seasoned player used to Jacksonville’s underground games. Unlike the others, Odom didn’t drink or smoke, but often complained that the surrounding smoke made him lose focus. Many musicians, including Van Zant and guitarist Gary Rossington, also loved poker, but as Odom noted, they played more for fun and didn’t always know the hands and strategy well. "They played just to pass the time, not out of professional interest," he recalled. The plane’s cabin was divided into several zones: in the tail—a poker table, in the middle—a spot for watching movies, and in the front—a lounge for chatting and discussing music. For some crew members, like Mark Howard, poker was simply a convenient alternative to watching movies: "There was nothing else to do but play poker," he said. Final Warning Signs: Problems With the Plane By the start of the fall 1977 tour, many in the group were concerned about the condition of the rented Convair CV-240. According to the National Transportation Safety Board report, the plane was already 30 years old and had logged over 29,000 flight hours. Aerosmith had considered using this plane for their tour but declined due to safety concerns. A few days before the tragedy, Mark Howard witnessed a two-meter flame shooting from the right engine during takeoff in Greenville. Despite the scare, the plane landed safely and the band played the show, but many crew members and musicians protested against the next flight. Backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, who later died in the crash, was especially worried. The decision to fly on was made by Van Zant—he chose to take the risk. Interestingly, Rickey Medlocke, who was not in the band at the time, almost joined the tour at Van Zant’s invitation, but at the last moment had to decline due to his own band Blackfoot’s tour. In a conversation with Van Zant, he heard: "Brother, I understand, we’ll see each other later." The Tragedy of October 20: Events On Board The flight from Greenville to Baton Rouge took off at 4:02 p.m. Central Time. The musicians and crew settled throughout the cabin: some were resting, some watching movies, and four took their usual seats at the folding poker table in the right rear. According to various accounts, the final game included Craig Reed, Mark Howard, lighting technician Steve Lawler, tour manager Ron Eckerman, and possibly Gene Odom and technician Mark Frank. This time, they weren’t playing for cash, but for chips. The last game was Three Card Guts —a card game where each player tries to make the best three-card hand. In such games, the pot could grow quickly, and Reed noted he was ahead by about $1,700. Howard also recalled having a lot of chips: "I was winning, and I don’t care what anyone says—I was winning." At 6:45 p.m., the pilots informed air traffic controllers that they were out of fuel due to inefficient engine operation. Drummer Artimus Pyle ran into the cabin shouting that both engines had failed. The game was interrupted, but Reed, not yet realizing the seriousness of the situation, asked how they would split the chips. Howard recalled: "I grabbed a handful of chips and threw them to the back of the plane, saying, 'To hell with these chips!'—then just sat there, ready to die." Odom began running through the cabin, buckling everyone in and instructing them to prepare for a crash landing. Reed, who at first was even laughing, realized the seriousness of what was happening and tore the poker table from the wall so it wouldn’t become a dangerous object on impact. The last thing he heard before falling into a coma was the sound of skidding across treetops, followed by loud crashes—the plane hit the forest. The Aftermath: Loss, Survival, and Remembrance According to the official report, after the last radio contact, the plane crashed into dense forest near Gillsburg, Mississippi. Upon impact with trees up to 24 meters high, both wings were torn off and thrown dozens of meters from the fuselage. Ronnie Van Zant, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, guitarist Steve Gaines, manager Dean Kilpatrick, and pilots Walter McCreary and William John Gray were killed. Craig Reed spent 12 days in a coma, waking up with a concussion, multiple fractures, and a tube in his chest. He didn’t remember what had happened until doctors explained he was a plane crash survivor. Mark Howard, who suffered a skull fracture, was conscious and recalled how band and crew members were carried out on stretchers and loaded into pickup trucks—ambulances couldn’t reach the crash site due to the dense forest. The investigation found that the crash was "survivable" for passengers in the tail section, as there was no fire and part of the fuselage remained intact. This was because there was no fuel left in the tanks at the moment of impact. As Reed noted, "the safest place was behind the wing"—that’s where the poker players were seated. However, no one escaped unscathed. Gene Odom, thrown from the plane while trying to return to his seat, lost sight in his left eye due to a phosphorus burn from the de-icing system, suffered burns to his face and hands, and broke his neck and back. Recovery took three years. Unfortunately, Odom was just 80 hours short of qualifying for his pension. He later worked in construction until suffering another serious injury in 1990. Lynyrd Skynyrd ceased to exist, but in 1986 was reformed with Johnny Van Zant, Ronnie’s younger brother, as vocalist. Gary Rossington led the new lineup, and Rickey Medlocke returned to the band in 1996 and still plays with them today. Medlocke admitted he often thought, "Maybe if I’d been there, I could have changed something." But a conversation with Rossington, who retired in 2021 and died in 2023, helped him let go of those thoughts: "Rickey, if Ronnie made up his mind, there was no changing it. That means you were meant to be here now, not then." Remembrance and Life After the Tragedy: The Survivors’ Fates Today, Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to tour North America, drawing thousands of fans to concerts, including in Las Vegas—at the Pearl Theater in the Palms Casino Resort. "Right now in Canada, we’re filling arenas," Medlocke shared in a PokerNews interview in September 2023. The surviving crew members also keep in touch. Mark Howard, who runs the YouTube channel True Backstage and Road Stories, was planning to attend the 48th anniversary of the crash in October 2023—a gathering at the crash site with live music, jam sessions, and candlelight vigils. "We sit, drink beer, have fun, chat—people come up, ask for autographs, want to take pictures. It’s fun," Howard said. After being discharged from the hospital, Craig Reed ended his story with Lynyrd Skynyrd the same way he began it: driving hundreds of miles in a rented van from Jacksonville to Ohio, despite broken ribs and an arm. Later, he worked with Journey, Foreigner, The Marshall Tucker Band, with whom he also played poker on tour. In 2006, Reed retired and since then only plays blackjack on his computer, as well as hosting the YouTube show The Stoned Roadie Show, where he shares stories about life on tour with American rock bands. Despite everything he’s been through, Reed hasn’t lost his interest in flying: he became fascinated with flight simulators and even plans a four-hour flight to Mississippi on a friend’s plane. "He’ll let me take the controls a bit, but not too much—I’m not a pilot. The simulator just gives you the basics. At first, landings were really tough, but now they’re a piece of cake," he said. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players The story of the last poker game on board the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane is not only a tragic chapter in rock music history, but also a reminder of how poker brings together people from all walks of life. For PPPoker club players, this story can be a reason to reflect on the value of live interaction at the table, the ability to enjoy the game, and the importance of supporting each other not only in victory, but also in tough times. Poker for the Lynyrd Skynyrd crew was less about professional competition and more about bonding, passing the time, escaping worries, and creating a sense of unity. In PPPoker clubs, this quality is especially important: even if you play online, appreciate the chance to chat, share stories, support newcomers, and share the joy of victory or the disappointment of defeat. Finally, the story is a reminder: at the poker table, as in life, much depends on chance and unexpected twists. The ability to stay calm, keep your composure in stressful situations, and maintain team spirit are qualities that will benefit every PPPoker club player. May your games be not only exciting, but truly friendly!