Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington (pictured right) passed away Sunday at the age of 71. Rossington was the last remaining original member of the longtime rock group formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The band’s Facebook page reported his death Sunday.
Rossington was an integral part of the group’s major hits including the classic “Free Bird”, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023. Rossington was also present for the band’s tragedies, most notably surviving the 1977 plane crash which took the lives of a number of his bandmates. During the past decade, Rossington dealt with his own health issues mainly pertaining to his heart which on occasion caused the band to cancel shows. No official cause of death was given.
