US Rock Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist Gary Rossington Dies At 71

The only surviving founding member of the American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, guitarist Gary Rossington, passed away on Sunday, according to the group. He was 71. The Southern rock band that is well known for the song "Sweet Home Alabama" from 1974 was founded with Rossington as a founding member. The band announced Gary Rossington's passing on Facebook, writing, "It is with our utmost grief and sadness that we have to advise that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter, and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today. It continued, "Gary is now in heaven with his Skynyrd brothers and family and playing it nice, as he always does. Rossington had a history of cardiac issues, including having emergency heart surgery in 2021, according to a message from the band, which did not disclose the cause of death. the collective at the time. With drummer Bob Burns and bassist Larry Junstrom, Rossington created the first Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964. Rossington was born in the southern state of Florida in 1951. He provided the distinctive slide guitar solos that made the band's over 10-minute-long smash single "Free Bird" from 1973 a long-lasting success. Throughout the 1970s, the guitarist was involved in a number of horrific collisions, including a major vehicle accident in 1976 and the tragic aircraft disaster that claimed the lives of three band members in 1977. The band disbanded after guitarist Steve Gaines, backup vocalist Cassie Gaines, and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant perished in the accident, but they later regrouped in 1987 with new members, including Johnny Van Zant, Ronnie's younger brother, who now sings lead.The band has continued to perform, with a festival performance scheduled for this month, with Rossington being the only original member left in the group. One of the bands performing outside of the 2016 Republican convention was the right-leaning rockers.