Gary Rossington, Last Original Member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dies at 71

Gary Rossington, the legendary guitarist who became the last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died on Sunday. He was 71.

“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,” the band wrote on Facebook. “Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does.”

A cause of death was not immediately given, though Rossington had been hospitalized multiple times in recent years over heart problems and took his leave from the band in 2021, citing the strenuous impact of touring on his blood oxygen levels. He had emergency heart surgery the same year, but eventually recovered and rejoined the band.

Read more at The Daily Beast.