Gary Rossington, the last living founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, authors of ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ dies
Guitarist Gary Rossington, the only Lynyrd Skynyrd founding member still alive, has passed away at the age of 71, as reported in the last hours through their networks this American band author of hits such as Sweet Home Alabama.
“It is with the deepest sadness that we have to announce the loss of our brother and friend, as well as composer and guitarist. Gary is now with the rest of his Skynyrd brethren in heaven.playing beautifully as he always did,” reads the message, which asks for respect for the family’s privacy.
The cause of the death of the musician, who in 2015 suffered a heart attack and in 2021 had to undergo an emergency surgery heart surgery.
Rossington (Jacksonville, 1951) founded Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964 with vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, fellow guitarist Allen Collins, drummer Bob Burns and bassist Larry Junstrom, using the name of a gym teacher as the band’s name. of some of the members.
Became one of the most famous bands, with strong influences of southern rock, blues and hard rock, entered the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame since 2016 and is estimated to have sales of approximately 28 million records in the United States alone.
Already with his first album, Pronounced ‘leh-‘nérd ‘skin-‘nérd’. (1973), the band achieved a certain notoriety thanks to what would become one of their classics, Free birdof which Rossington was a substantial part as a performer on guitar. of one of his most emblematic fragments.
Despite the problems with alcohol and drugs that he dragged in those early years and that inspired the theme of the group The Smellhe became one of the most stable members in a band. that often changed formation.
One of these reformulations came motivated by misfortune, when in 1977 they suffered a plane crash in which the singer died and in which he was one of the six survivors, although he suffered multiple fractures all over his body that did not prevent him from playing again some time later.
In addition to Lynyrd Skynyrd, for a few years he also played with. with The Rossington Collins Bandwhich he co-founded in 1980 with his former bandmate Allen Collins.
