Jary Robert Rossington, also known as Gary Rossington, is an American guitarist and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
He has been the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1964 and was the only surviving member of the original lineup of that band until his death.
He has also released two solo albums, 1977’s The Rossington Collins Band and 1981’s Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere.
Who was Gary Rossington?
Gary Rossington was born on December 4, 1951, in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. As a child, he was a great baseball player and aspired to play for the New York Yankees one day.
But after hearing the Rolling Stones in his early teenage life, he became more interested in music and left his dream of being a baseball player behind.
The band members of Lynyrd Skynyrd used to play baseball with him in high school, which turned into jamming sessions of their favorite band, Rolling Stones, in one of the band members, Bob Burns’ parents’ house. After listening to
Gary Rossington grew up in a single-parent household as a child. His bandmate, Van Zant, who was 3 years older than him, and a senior at high school, became like a father figure to him.
He taught them how to drive a car and all the other things you must learn as a teenager. He married his wife, Dale Krantz-Rossington, in 1982 and had 2 daughters.
Gary Rossington’s cause of death
Gary Rossington, the founding guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died on March 5, 2023, at 71. The band confirmed it on Facebook.
He died of heart problems he had been facing in recent years. He had been hospitalized because of this multiple times.
Because of his poor condition, involving his blood oxygen levels, he decided to leave the band in 2021. Several heartfelt condolences went out to his family members for losing their loved one.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Rossington’s love for baseball was the reason for the formation of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964.
The band members, Ronnie Van Zant and Bob Burns used to play baseball together, and one day started their jamming sessions, which ultimately led to the formation of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The word ‘Skynyrd’ was inspired by their high school gym teacher, whom they all hated, Leonard Skinner. They used to play genres, including Southern Rock, Blues Rock, Boogie Rock, and hard rock.
In 1977, the band was in a plane that crashed, claiming the lives of many band members, including Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, and 3 others, but Rossington survived his injuries along with 20 other passengers.
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