Gary Rossington, guitarist and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, lifeless at 71

“It’s with our deepest sympathy and disappointment that we’ve got to advise, that we misplaced our brother, pal, member of the family, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, in the present day,” the Fb submit reads.

“Gary is now along with his Skynyrd brothers and household in heaven and enjoying it fairly, like he at all times does. Please hold Dale, Mary, Annie and your complete Rossington household in your prayers and respect the household’s privateness at this tough time.”

Rossington was born in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 4, 1951. His band was fashioned about 13 years later, additionally in Jacksonville, after he met singer Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom whereas enjoying baseball, in response to the band’s web site.

The guitarist survived the deadly aircraft crash that killed Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines, and street supervisor Dean Kilpatrick in 1977, in response to their biography. The band would half methods for a decade earlier than reforming, and it continued on with a lot of totally different lineups

Rossington continued to play with the band till 2021, Rolling Stone experiences. Since 2003, he had a number of coronary heart procedures and ultimately determined to step away from touring as he recovered from one other process in 2021. He informed Rolling Stone he was nonetheless in a position to play guitar, however happening the street was too tough.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame in 2006. As a part of the band’s induction speech, Rossington addressed the quite a few tragedies that befell Lynyrd Skynyrd over time. In accordance with Rolling Stone, Rossington stated, “I do not consider it as tragedy — I consider it as life. I feel the nice outweighs the unhealthy.”