Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist and co-founding member Gary Rossington died on Sunday at the age of 71. Rossington’s passing was confirmed by the band in a statement on Facebook. Gary Rossington was the last surviving original member of the legendary Southern rock band. No cause was given for his death.
“It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we have to advise, that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today,” wrote the band yesterday. “Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does.”
Rossington has dealt with numerous health issues over the past decade, most of which stemmed from a heart attack in 2015, including emergency heart surgery in 2021. The guitarist previously cheated death in 1977, when he survived a plane crash that killed frontman Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines. Gary Rossington did suffer two broken arms and a broken leg as well as a punctured stomach and liver. He was also involved in a serious car accident the previous year.
Gary Robert Rossington was born in Jacksonville, Florida on December 4, 1951. The roots of Lynyrd Skynyrd date back to 1964 when Rossington, vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarists Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom and drummer Bob Burns assembled for a jam session. After a few name changes, the group settled on Lynyrd Skynyrd in reference to a gym teacher at a Jacksonville high school and character in Allen Sherman’s “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh.”
The band gained a local following and was tapped to support a handful of local acts as the 1970s started. Lynyrd Skynyrd underwent a few lineup changes before recording their debut album, 1973’s (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd). The album was a hit thanks in part to the success of “Free Bird,” featuring Rossington on slide, which would become their signature song and a live staple. Next came 1974’s Second Helping featuring such notable tunes as “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Don’t Ask Me No Questions” and “The Ballad Of Curtis Loew.”
Thanks to the success of their first two albums as well as 1975’s Nuthin’ Fancy, which peaked at number 9 on the U.S. charts, Lynyrd Skynyrd drew large crowds to their concerts and their songs were frequently played on the radio. The band, after again undergoing more lineup changes, released Street Survivors on October 17, 1977 and embarked on their biggest tour yet. On October 20, 1977 a plane the band had chartered to take them from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisana crashed near Gillsburg, Mississippi after running out of fuel killing Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, the band’s assistant road manager and the plane’s pilot and co-pilot.
Lynyrd Skynyrd broke up following the tragic accident. Gary Rossington teamed with Allen Collins to form the Rossington Collins Band in 1979. The group put out two albums before disbanding following the 1982 death of Collins’ wife, Kathy.
Gary Rossington was one of five members of Lynyrd Skynyrd from before the crash to take part in a 1987 tour featuring Ronnie’s brother, Johnny Van Zandt on lead vocals. Lynyrd Skynyrd withstood the deaths and departures of various members to record and perform under the name since 1987 with Rossington taking part over the past decade when his health would allow.
Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006. The band has a summer tour with ZZ Top planned. The status of the tour and all future Lynyrd Skynyrd concerts has not been addressed as of press time.
