Gary Rossington, a founding member and guitarist of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, has died at the age of 69. Rossington passed away at his home in Cartersville, Georgia, on Wednesday, August 4th, 2021.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Rossington co-founded Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964 along with Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, and others. The band became one of the most iconic and influential groups of the 1970s, with hits like “Free Bird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and “Simple Man.” Despite the deaths of several members in a 1977 plane crash, Lynyrd Skynyrd continued to tour and release music over the decades, with Rossington as a constant presence.
In recent years, Rossington had struggled with health issues, including a heart attack in 2015 and emergency surgery in 2019. Despite these challenges, he continued to perform with Lynyrd Skynyrd and was planning to join the band on their farewell tour, which was set to begin in September 2021.
Rossington’s death marks the end of an era for Lynyrd Skynyrd and for Southern rock as a whole. His contributions to the genre will be remembered by fans around the world, and his legacy will live on through the music he helped create.
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