FREE BIRD

A personal tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd's ultimate survivor, GARY ROSSINGTON - 1951-2023

- ALAN PAUL

AS GUITAR WORLD’S unofficial Southern rock correspondent for the past 33 years, I interviewed Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington, who passed away March 5 at age 71, many times over many years. He was always insightful, good natured and happy to talk.

A few conversations really stand out. Circa 1996, we did a great phone interview, speaking at length about his sobriety, which was quite new at the time. Shortly after we hung up, my office landline rang again.

“Alan, it’s Gary. I need to talk.”

 “Ok, Gary, what’s up?”

“I told you a lie and it’s really bugging me.”

He corrected himself and apologized. The “lie” he had told me was minor and inconsequential — not something that would’ve been in the story anyhow — but he couldn’t live with it. He was making amends and following the 12-step commitment to honesty, and I was touched by that.

Gary was a survivor and a fighter. Most famously, he survived the October 1977 plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines. Rossington was the last-surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, though drummer Artimus Pyle, who joined the band later and survived the crash, is still with us.

All of the crash survivors were badly injured. Bassist Leon Wilkeson had his broken arm set in such a way that he had to play in an upright position, prompting me to once ask Rossington if the metal plate he had inserted in his left arm forced him to alter his playing style in any way.