A Georgia road about 125 miles away from where Duane Allman died nearly 45 years ago took the life of one of the Southern rockers who played on the hit dedicated to the Allman Brothers guitarist. The former drummer and a founding member of the Southern hard rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, Robert 'Bob' Burns Jr, died late Friday in a single-vehicle crash near Cartersville, Georgia. Burns' vehicle went off the road just before midnight as it approached a curve, striking a mailbox and a tree, Georgia State Patrol spokeswoman Tracey Watson said. The former drummer of the Southern hard rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, Robert 'Bob' Burns Jr, died late Friday . Burns' vehicle went off a road just before midnight as it approached a curve near Cartersville, Georgia . Burns was one of five people who founded the band in Jacksonville, Florida, and played on its first two albums . Burns, 64, was killed in the wreck. He was not wearing a seatbelt. Cartersville is about a two hour drive away from where Allman was killed after he crashed his motorcycle into a truck outside of Macon, Georgia, when he was just 24. After Allman's untimely death. the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd dedicated their song Free Bird to his memory. Burns was one of five musicians who founded the band in Jacksonville, Florida, and played on its first two albums. While Burns was with the group, it recorded other hits like Sweet Home Alabama, Gimme Three Steps, Simple Man and Don't Ask Me No Questions. Cartersville is about 125 miles away from Macon, Georgia, where Duane Allman died in a 1971 motorcycle crash . He left the group in 1974 because he was 'overwhelmed by life on the road', the Cartersville Patch reported. Burns continued to play for fun or in guest appearances nationally, said his father, Robert Burns Sr. Early on, the group played in the Burns' family garage. Three other band members were previously killed in a plane crash in 1977. The elder Burns said: 'He was a product of his mother, so far as manners is concerned. 'He had the manners that would suit the King of England. 'Very soft-spoken and extremely well-mannered person to come out of that kind of industry.' The single-vehicle accident remains under investigation and weather may have played a factor.
His vehicle struck mailbox as it was approaching a curve near Cartersville . Burns helped found the Southern hard rock band in Jacksonville, Florida . Played on hit songs like Sweet Home Alabama, Simple Man and Free Bird . Cartersville is about 125 miles away from Macon, where Duane Allman died . After 1971 death of Allman Brothers guitarist, Skynrd dedicated Free Bird . Three other band members were previously killed in a plane crash in 1977 .