It is with immense sadness that the music world says farewell to Gary Rossington, a founding member of iconic American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. His death on March 6th, 2021 will leave a deep impact on the music community.
March 8, 2023
March 8, 2023
Gary Rossington was born on December 4th, 1951 in Jacksonville, Florida. He started playing music at an early age, taking piano lessons and later teaching himself how to play guitar. He and childhood friend Ronnie Van Zant formed their first band, The Noble Five, in 1964 when Rossington was twelve years old. Later, in 1966, the two formed My Backyard together with Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom and began to perform around the southern states.
By the end of 1969, the band had added singer Johnny Van Zant, Bob Burns, and keyboardist Billy Powell and evolved into the world-famous Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band integrated aspects of R&B, blues, country, and rock and roll, which spawned their signature sound and led them to international fame.
Rossington played lead guitar, wrote many of the band’s songs, and was the longest surviving original band member when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. In the wake of their success and original sound, the band released massive hits like “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Free Bird,” and “Gimme Three Steps.” These singles led to four multi-platinum albums and a Grammy win for Best Performance by a Rock Duo/Group in 1976 for their song, “Travellin' Man".
Rossington and the band suffered a tragedy in 1977 when a plane crash left three members dead, including front man Van Zant. He fractured both his arms, ribs, and collarbone, and, after a long recovery, reunited with the remaining members to pay tribute to the late singers in 1987. The band went back on tour and later released the album, Southern By The Grace of God, in 1988.
In 2018, Rossington underwent open heart surgery and retired from the road but continued to write, produce, and record music with former bandmates. His death on March 6th, 2021 will leave a deep impact on the music community.
Gary Rossington's legacy will be remembered and his contributions to southern rock music will live on forever.
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