Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71

Guitarist Gary Rossington, the past remaining archetypal subordinate of US stone set Lynyrd Skynyrd, has died astatine the property of 71.

One of the band's founding members, helium appeared connected each of their albums and co-wrote the 1974 deed Sweet Home Alabama.

He was besides 1 of the survivors of a 1977 level clang that killed respective of his bandmates.

Although helium had suffered bosom problems successful caller years, Rossington had been playing shows arsenic precocious arsenic February.

A connection connected the band's Facebook page said: "It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we person to advise, that we mislaid our brother, friend, household member, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today.

"Gary is present with his Skynyrd brothers and household successful eden and playing it pretty, similar helium ever does."

No origin of decease was given, but Rossington had bosom country successful 2021, according to a station from the set astatine the time.

Rossington was calved successful 1951 successful Florida, founding the archetypal iteration of Lynyrd Skynyrd - called Me, You, and Him - successful 1964 with drummer Bob Burns and bassist Larry Junstrom.

They added vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, who played connected a rival shot team, aboriginal that summer, aft a crippled turned into a jam session.

They settled connected the sanction Lynyrd Skynyrd - a excavation astatine their precocious schoolhouse gym teacher, who was notorious for punishing students with agelong hair.

The band's rebellious blues-rock earned them a fearsome unrecorded estimation successful America's confederate states. Their debut album, titled Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, included the 9 infinitesimal epic Free Bird - which featured Rossington's distinctive descent guitar work.

"We ever said we had a batch of balls backmost then, oregon gumption, immoderate you telephone it, for playing a opus that long," the instrumentalist said successful an interrogation with Guitar World.

"Singles are lone two, 3 minutes astatine the most, and 5 is lucky. Free Bird was 9 minutes. They said, 'Nobody volition ever play that song. You guys are crazy'."

But an edited mentation of the way became a apical 20 deed successful the US and, aft touring with The Who, Skynyrd won a devoted following.

Rossington co-wrote respective much of Skynyrd's most-loved songs, including I Ain't The One, Things Goin' On, Don't Ask Me No Questions and Gimme Back My Bullets.

He besides inspired Van Zant to constitute That Smell - a informing astir the band's hedonistic lifestyle, penned aft Rossington drove his Ford Torino into a histrion portion drunk and connected drugs.

The lyrics cautioned that "tomorrow mightiness not beryllium present for you" and "the odor of decease surrounds you".

Eerily, 3 days aft it was released, a level carrying the set betwixt shows crashed successful Mississippi, sidesplitting Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, adjunct roadworthy manager Dean Kilpatrick and some pilots.

Twenty radical survived, including Rossington, who was knocked unconscious and woke up with the plane's doorway connected apical of him.

"It was a devastating thing. You can't conscionable speech astir it existent casual and not person feelings astir it."

The surviving members decided not to proceed aft the tragedy. Rossington, who was severely injured, had to larn to play again with alloy rods successful his arm.

He formed a caller group, The Rossington Collins Band, with respective erstwhile bandmates successful the 1980s, earlier Lynyrd Skynyrd reformed successful 1987 to commemorate the 10th day of the crash, with Van Zant's younger member Johnny connected pb vocals.

The set kept going, signaling 9 workplace albums and churning done astir 25 members, arsenic good arsenic being inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame successful 2010.

They were besides 1 of the acts who took to the signifier astatine the 2016 Republican Convention, wherever Donald Trump was chosen arsenic the party's Presidential Candidate.

Fellow musicians paid tribute to the guitarist. Metallica frontman James Hetfield thanked Rossington for "bringing maine truthful overmuch joyousness with your guitar playing and songwriting successful 1 of my each clip favourite bands".

Country prima Travis Tritt said helium was "heartbroken", adding: "Gary was not lone a friend, but a collaborator that wrote songs with maine and played guitar with maine successful workplace recordings and onstage truthful galore times. RIP."

"The past of the archetypal Free Birds has flown home," said The Charlie Daniels Band on Instagram.

In a station connected Facebook, erstwhile Megadeth bassist David Ellefson elaborate his relationship with Rossington, recalling: "It seemed Gary kept his satellite tiny to the extracurricular satellite but helium ever fto maine successful it and trusted maine arsenic a euphony buddy...

"Prayers and condolences to his family, friends & band. He and his legendary guitar enactment volition beryllium missed by america all."