Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington tragically dies just months before tour
Gary Rossington, who founded rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, has died at the age of 71.
His bandmates announced the sad news on social media as they paid tribute to their "brother" and "family member".
In a statement shared to Facebook on Sunday, the band said: "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.
"Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does.
"Please keep Dale, Mary, Annie and the entire Rossington family in your prayers and respect the family’s privacy at this difficult time."
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Gary Rossington has died at the age of 71 (Ibl/REX/Shutterstock)Tributes have been pouring in from fans, with one person commenting: "So sad to hear this...I remember seeing them in 1979 in Alabama...Sending Prayers to the Family."
"Oh I am so heartbroken. RIP Gary. Thank you for your music throughout the years," another wrote while a third fan said: "RIP dude, thank you for all the great music, and memories.."
One heartbroken fan penned: "Rock in Peace Mr. Rossington."
No cause of death has been announced, though the guitarist had been suffering from health issues for decades.
Fans have been paying tribute to the musician (Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Gary, the last surviving original member of the band, died just four months before Lynyrd Skynyrd were due to embark on their next tour.
The band is planning to join forces with ZZ Top for The Sharp Dressed Simple Man tour which is scheduled to begin in Palm Beach, Florida, in July.
The tour is expected to go ahead, despite Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Johnny Van Zant previously saying: "I don't think you can have Lynyrd Skynyrd without Gary Rossington."
Gary had been in the band since 1964 when it was a trio named Me, You, and Him, with bassist Larry Junstrom and drummer Bob Burns.
The band are due to go on tour (WireImage)They later met singer Ronnie Van Zant and Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album was released in 1973, and featured the nine-minute track Free Bird, which became one of their most famous songs.
In 1977, a plane carrying the band crashed in Mississippi, killing Ronnie, guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick and both pilots.
Twenty people on the plane survived, including Gary, who was knocked unconscious.
He broke his arms, legs, wrists, ankles and his pelvis, but went on to make a full recovery.
However, he battled a drug addiction for years which began with his heavy dependence on pain medication during his recovery.
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