Artimus Pyle
Thomas Delmer "Artimus" Pyle (born July 15, 1948 in Louisville, Kentucky)[1] is a rock and roll drummer most famous for playing with Lynyrd Skynyrd, for which role he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.[2][3]
Career
Early career
Pyle joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1974.[1] He survived the 1977 plane crash of the Lynyrd Skynyrd band that killed Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Gaines and Steve Gaines.[4] [2]
Pyle emerged from the plane wreckage with several broken ribs and joined others traveling several hundred yards to a farmhouse to try to get help.[4] The appearance of Pyle and his companions alarmed the residents of the farmhouse, who greeted them with guns and told them to go home before the Gillsburg Volunteer Fire Department arrived to reassure them that the men were survivors of a crash.[4] Varying accounts have the farmer's son either firing a warning shot into the air or actually shooting Pyle in the shoulder with an air rifle.[5] Pyle claimed in a February 2007 appearance on Howard Stern's Sirius radio program that he had been shot; the farmer's son has always denied shooting the drummer.[citation needed]
After the crash
In 1982 Pyle began touring with the Artimus Pyle Band, A.P.B.,[6] including Darryl Otis Smith, John Boerstler, and Steve Lockhart.[7] A.P.B.'s albums include A.P.B. (1981), Nightcaller (1983) and Live From Planet Earth (2000).[7]
Pyle took part in the Skynyrd Tribute Tour and joined the reformed Lynyrd Skynyrd in recording Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991 before departing the band.[8][9]
Pyle currently plays solo and with various musicians, including previous members of Lynryd Skynyrd and Lynyrd Skynryd tribute bands.[9] In 2007, Pyle released a solo album, Artimus Venomus, on Cleopatra Records.[7]
Criminal conviction
In 1993, Pyle was arrested and charged in Duval, Florida with sexual battery against two girls, ages 4 and 8.[10] Facing a potential life sentence, Pyle arranged a plea-bargain with prosecutors to spare the children a trial.[11] He received eight years of probation,[12] and he was entered into the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's "Sexual Offender" database.[13] The incident is alluded to in the AxCx song "I Gave NAMBLA Pictures Of Your Kid". [14]
References
- ^ a b Lynyrd Skynyrd Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Accessed September 24 2007.
- ^ a b Vrabel, Jeff. (November 29 2005. Rock the Hall The Florida Times-Union. Accessed September 24 2007.
- ^ Vrable, Jeff. (November 29 2005) All who have played in the band won't be inducted The Florida Times-Union. Accessed September 24 2007.
- ^ a b c Pettus, Gary. (October 20 2002). The day 'Free Bird' fell from the sky Clarion Ledger. Accessed September 24 2007.
- ^ Boston, John. {September 7 2006) The heart and soul of redneck American. The Signal. Accessed September 24 2007.
- ^ "Lynyrd Skynyrd" The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Simon & Schuster, 2001). Reprinted at rollingstone.com. Accessed September 24 2007.
- ^ a b c Artimus Pyle at All Music Guide
- ^ Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991 at All Music Guide
- ^ a b Flans, Robyn. Artimus Pyle: Still venomous after Lynyrd Skynard Modern Drummer Online. Accessed September 24 2007.
- ^ "National Briefs" Fort Worth Star-Telegram, December 25 1993, Page 19.
- ^ "Nation in Brief". The Atlanta Journal. December 25 1993. Page Number A/5.
- ^ "Artimus Pyle Plea-Bargains life term down to probation." Buffalo News. December 26 1993.
- ^ Artimus Thomas Pyle. FDLE Offender Flyer. Accessed September 24 2007.
- ^ Putnam, Seth. AxCx lyrics. Accessed October 1 2007.
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