Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington has died at the age of 71. Rossington was the last surviving founding member of the band. News of his death was announced in a statement posted on the official Lynyrd Skynyrd Facebook page Sunday evening.
“It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we have to advise, that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today,” reads the statement. “Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does.”
No cause of death was revealed.
Rossington was one of the survivors of the 1977 plane crash that claimed the lives of six people including Skynyrd members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines.
In 2015, Rossington suffered a heart attack and in 2021, he underwent emergency heart surgery. He played with Lynyrd Skynyrd up until the time of his death.
