Artimus Pyle
| Artimus Pyle | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Thomas Delmer Pyle |
| Born | 15 July 1948 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Genres | Southern rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1974-present |
| Associated acts | Lynyrd Skynyrd, Artimus Pyle Band |
Thomas Delmer "Artimus" Pyle (born July 15, 1948) is an American musician best known for playing drums with Lynyrd Skynyrd, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.[1][2]
Contents |
[edit] Career
[edit] Early life and career
Pyle was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Pyle served in the United States Marine Corps in 1967-71 as a sergeant in aviation. He joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1974.[3] He survived the 1977 plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Gaines and Steve Gaines.[1][4] Pyle emerged from the aircraft wreckage with several broken ribs and joined others traveling several hundred yards on foot 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 demanded they leave the premises. Eventually the Gillsburg Volunteer Fire Department arrived and assured the occupants that the men were survivors of a plane 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]
[edit] 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 during a show in Toronto in August 1991.[8]
In 1993, Pyle was arrested and charged in Jacksonville Beach, Florida with sexual battery against both daughters, ages four and eight.[9] Facing a potential life sentence, Pyle arranged a plea bargain with prosecutors to spare the children a trial.[10] He was sentenced to eight years of probation.[11]
Little of this subject matter was covered in the press until November 19, 2007, when Pyle was arrested in St. Johns County, Florida for failure to register as a sex offender. After a jury trial Pyle was acquitted for the charges of failing to register as a sex offender and lying on a driver's license application.[12] Pyle's name and photograph are featured on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement sexual offender database website.[13]
In 2007, Pyle was touring with the band Deep South.
Pyle currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina, playing solo and with various musicians, including previous members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute bands.[14] Pyle also plays with his own band, " The Artimus Pyle Band", which released Artimus Venomus in 2007 on Storm Dog Records Group/Cleopatra Records.[7]
He also appears with " The Floyd County Rangers ".
On Nov. 22, 2010 Plyle appeared at the Another One For Woody benefit concert at New York's Roseland Ballroom, performing the Skynyrd song ‘Simple Man’ with Gov't Mule.
[edit] References
- ^ 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.
- ^ Lynyrd Skynyrd Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 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 Allmusic
- ^ Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991 at Allmusic
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Former Skynard Drummer Acquitted". jacksonville.com. 2009-8-28. http://jacksonville.com/community/my_st_johns_sun/2009-08-28/story/former_skynyrd_drummer_acquitted. Retrieved 2011-10-20.
- ^ Artimus Thomas Pyle. FDLE Offender Flyer. Accessed September 24, 2007.
- ^ Flans, Robyn. Artimus Pyle: Still venomous after Lynyrd Skynyrd Modern Drummer Online. Accessed September 24, 2007.
