(Washington) Guitarist Gary Rossington, the last founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died Sunday at the age of 71, the American rock band announced.
“Southern rock” group, Lynyrd Skynyrd is best known for two cult songs, Sweet Home Alabama And Free Bird.
“Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and he is playing well, as he always does,” the band wrote on Facebook.
Lynyrd Skynyrd did not specify the cause of death. Rossington suffered from heart issues and underwent emergency heart surgery in 2021, according to a message from the band at the time.
Born in 1951 in Florida, Rossington founded the first iteration of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964 with drummer Bob Burns and bassist Larry Junstrom. His guitar solo in Free Birda song nearly ten minutes long, is considered one of the greatest in rock history.
The guitarist survived several serious accidents in the 1970s, including a car crash in 1976 and the infamous 1977 air crash in which three band members died.
The band had split up after vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines died in the crash. But it had reformed in 1987 with new members, including Van Zant’s younger brother, Johnny, on vocals.
Rossington was the only surviving original member of the band, which has continued to perform ever since and is scheduled to tour in July.
Lynyrd Skynyrd is one of the right-wing rock bands that took to the stage on the sidelines of the 2016 Republican Convention, during which Donald Trump was nominated as the candidate for President of the United States.