Gary Rossington passed away at the age of 71

Gary Rossington, founding member and guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away at the age of 71.

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Rossington's seagull-like slide guitar leads in the band's song "Free Bird" became an indelible anthem of Southern rock.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd announced Rossington's death on Facebook and requested privacy for the family.

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Rossington was the last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd and preferred to let his guitar do the talking.

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Rossington survived a car accident in 1976, inspiring the band's cautionary song "That Smell".

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He also survived the infamous 1977 plane crash that killed several band members with serious injuries.

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Rossington underwent quintuple bypass surgery in 2003 and suffered a heart attack in 2015.

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He had numerous subsequent heart surgeries and left Lynyrd Skynyrd in July 2021 to recover from another procedure.

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At recent shows, Rossington would sometimes perform portions of the concert and sit out full gigs due to his health problems.

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Rossington was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and raised by his mother after his father's death.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd was born when Rossington, Burns, Van Zant, and Collins jammed together at Burns' Jacksonville home after a Little League game.

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Gary Rossington, founding member and guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away at the age of 71.

Gary Rossington, founding member and guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away at the age of 71.

Rossington's seagull-like slide guitar leads in the band's song "Free Bird" became an indelible anthem of Southern rock.

Rossington's seagull-like slide guitar leads in the band's song "Free Bird" became an indelible anthem of Southern rock.

Lynyrd Skynyrd announced Rossington's death on Facebook and requested privacy for the family.

Lynyrd Skynyrd announced Rossington's death on Facebook and requested privacy for the family.

Rossington was the last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd and preferred to let his guitar do the talking.

Rossington was the last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd and preferred to let his guitar do the talking.

Rossington survived a car accident in 1976, inspiring the band's cautionary song "That Smell".

Rossington survived a car accident in 1976, inspiring the band's cautionary song "That Smell".

He also survived the infamous 1977 plane crash that killed several band members with serious injuries.

He also survived the infamous 1977 plane crash that killed several band members with serious injuries.

Rossington underwent quintuple bypass surgery in 2003 and suffered a heart attack in 2015.

Rossington underwent quintuple bypass surgery in 2003 and suffered a heart attack in 2015.

He had numerous subsequent heart surgeries and left Lynyrd Skynyrd in July 2021 to recover from another procedure.

He had numerous subsequent heart surgeries and left Lynyrd Skynyrd in July 2021 to recover from another procedure.

At recent shows, Rossington would sometimes perform portions of the concert and sit out full gigs due to his health problems.

At recent shows, Rossington would sometimes perform portions of the concert and sit out full gigs due to his health problems.

Rossington was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and raised by his mother after his father's death.

Rossington was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and raised by his mother after his father's death.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was born when Rossington, Burns, Van Zant, and Collins jammed together at Burns' Jacksonville home after a Little League game.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was born when Rossington, Burns, Van Zant, and Collins jammed together at Burns' Jacksonville home after a Little League game.

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