Gary Rossington, the final surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, has passed away. He was 71 years old at the time.
The awful news was announced by the band on their Facebook page. Gary Rossington was our brother, friend, family member, songwriter, and musician. We must inform you of his passing today with the utmost grief.
With his siblings and family from the Skynyrd, Gary is currently having a great time in paradise. Please keep Dale, Mary, Annie, and the entire Rossington family in your prayers during this difficult time.
Rossington was a well-known survivor, but as of right now, nothing else is known about his passing. After an aircraft crash in 1977 that also killed four of his comrades, he sustained terrible injuries, forcing the group to take a protracted hiatus.
When the band was revived ten years later by Ronnie Van Zant, the late Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman’s brother, Rossington, and other tragedy survivors joined.
With the exception of Rossington, the band’s original members left for a variety of reasons, although they persisted in songwriting and performing for decades following their reunion. Rossington rocked until the last end even though he had heart surgery in 2021.
Fans and industry experts instantly expressed their sympathies to the late musician Gary Rossington. He was praised for his musical talents by others.
One supporter claimed that Gary Rossington’s abilities and stature were largely responsible for Lynyrd Skynyrd’s reputation as “one of America’s three finest rock bands ever and a Southern rock-style Led Zeppelin.” “Gary Rossington has left,” another person remarked. “One of the best and a pioneer of a timeless and adored look and sound.”
Rossington, who stayed with the band until the end, admitted that hearing the band’s songs performed by others was “weird.” “The melodies and notes are the same. It seems reasonable to me. “That sounds exactly like our band,” he told Rolling Stone. It’s odd that when I look around, I can’t locate the original band. Suddenly, strangely, I notice someone standing in for me.
He was glad that many of their listeners were as passionate about their music as he was, and he hoped that their songs would continue to be played long after all of the band members had passed away. “They’d love it if their music continued to play after they died away,” he added. “Me, Allen Collins, and Ronnie Van Zant formed this band with the hope of being big, and that hope was accomplished.