Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist Gary Rossington Passes Away at Age 71
There was a big loss over the weekend in the Lynyrd Skynyrd family. The band’s original guitarist Gary Rossington died at age 71. He was the last surviving member of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the longest-serving musician in the band.
The band released a statement. “Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does.”
Rossington had writing credits on some of the band’s most successful songs, including “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Simple Man”, “What’s Your Name”, “Don’t Ask Me No
Questions”, and “Gimme Back My Bullets.”
Gary Rossington was in the plane crash in 1977 that killed several of his bandmates and put Lynyrd Skynyrd on hiatus for a decade. Rossington survived, but suffered serious injuries in that crash. Three years later, before the band reunited, Gary formed and played in the Rossington Collins Band.
Rossington has had health problems in the past. He suffered a heart attack in 2015 and had emergency surgery in 2021, but he continued playing in Lynyrd Skynyrd up until his death.
Lynyrd Skynyrd has been a huge part of the history of 96 K-Rock, playing in numerous radio station birthday concerts and K-Rock-sponsored events.
Their scheduled performance coming up on Sunday in Plant City at the Strawberry Festival is still planned to happen. Here’s the statement:
