Guitarist Gary Rossington, the last remaining original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died on Sunday (March 5th) at the age of 71. Rossington had been sidelined from the band's recent dates following emergency heart surgery in 2021.
The band issued a statement, which reads: “It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we have to advise, that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today. Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does. Please keep Dale, Mary, Annie and the entire Rossington family in your prayers and respect the family’s privacy at this difficult time.”
As a guitarist, Gary Rossington will probably be best remembered for his slide guitar work on Skynyrd's signature tune, “Free Bird” — and as a songwriter, he left his mark co-writing such Southern rock standards as “Sweet Home Alabama,” “What's Your Name?,” “Gimme Back My Bullets,” “I Ain't The One,” and “Simple Man,” among others.