Guitarist Gary Rossington, the final unique member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who survived their 1977 airplane crash and performed with the band till this yr, died Sunday. He was 71.
“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,” the band wrote on its official Facebook web page. “Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does.”
No different particulars had been supplied.
Rossington was badly injured within the 1977 airplane crash that killed 4 members of the legendary Southern rock band together with frontman Ronnie Van Zant. Rossington broke each of his legs, arms and ankles and his pelvis. He rejoined the band when Van Zant’s brother Johnny reformed the group in 1987, and the band had been recording and touring ever since.
Rossington had emergency coronary heart surgical procedure in 2021 however recovered and rejoined the band. News of his loss of life comes because the band was revving to go on a 22-city North American tour with ZZ Top starting in June.
“The last of the Free Birds has flown home,” pal Charlie Daniels wrote in tribute at present on Twitter.
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s unique lineup included Rossington, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarists Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom and drummer Bob Burns. They shaped in 1964 in Jacksonville, FL with the title My Backyard. The group’s self-titled 1973 debut LP, subtitled (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd), was a hit and featured such classics tracks as “Gimme Three Steps,” “Tuesday’s Gone” and “Simple Man” and “Free Bird,” a Top 20 pop single that will grow to be one in every of rock’s hottest and enduring songs. The album hit No. 27 on the Billboard 200 and went double platinum.
Skynyrd would make 4 extra studio albums and a dwell album earlier than the airplane crash. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
After recovering from his accidents within the crash, Rossington shaped the Rossington Collins Band with fellow Collins. Featuring Dale Krantz on vocals, their 1980 debut album made the Top 15 and went gold, spawning an FM hit with “Don’t Misunderstand Me.” The group broke up after its 1981 follow-up disc, This Is the Way.
Rossington then shaped The Rossington Band, which made one album in 1988.
Skyryrd hit the nationwide scene within the wake of the success of fellow Southern rockers The Allman Brothers Band and others together with The Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band and Wet Willie. The group’s success fed the style’s reputation, and different acts together with The Outlaws, Molly Hatchet and .38 Special would on to attain platinum albums.
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