keyboardist (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
03.06.1952 - 28.01.2009
William Norris "Billy" Powell was an American musician and a longtime keyboardist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 until his death in 2009. Around 1970, Powell found work as a roadie for Lynyrd Skynyrd and remained a member of the Skynyrd crew for two years, during which the band secured a support role for the band Mountain. In 1972, Skynyrd played a show at the Bolles School prom. During a break at that event, Powell sat down at a piano and launched into his piano-based version of "Free Bird". When the band realized their roadie's ability, he was offered the position of keyboardist.
