On This Day in 2023, We Said Goodbye to the Founding Father of Southern Rock That Ronnie Van Zant Sarcastically Dubbed “Prince Charming”

Few bands are as closely associated with the boom of Southern rock in the 1970s as Lynyrd Skynyrd. And few guitarists inspired as many subsequent Southern rock guitarists as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s own Gary Rossington.

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Sadly, on this day, March 5, 2023, Rossington passed away at the age of 71. Let’s celebrate his career accomplishments and legendary run as one of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s founding members.

Remembering Gary Rossington

Gary Rossington was born on December 4, 1951, in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally a childhood fan of baseball in his early years, Rossington pivoted his interests to music after hearing The Rolling Stones for the first time as a young teen. Interestingly enough, Rossington’s love of baseball played a role in the formation of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964. He became friends with Ronnie Van Zant and Bob Burns after playing on rival baseball teams in Florida. Afterward, they jammed together in Burns’ family carport, and the rest was history.

Rossington, Sarcastically dubbed “Prince Charming” by Van Zant due to his wild lifestyle, would serve as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s guitarist for decades, from 1964 until his death in 2023. His “weapon of choice” was a 1969 Les Paul named Bernice after his mother. He shared guitar duties with Allen Collins, and also contributed slide guitar tracks to songs like “Free Bird”.

Tragically, Rossington experienced an incredible trauma in 1977, as he was one of the 20 passengers who survived the fated Mississippi plane crash that killed members Van Zandt, Cassie Gaines, Steve Gaines, and several others. Despite his injuries, which required a steel rod to be placed in his right arm, Rossington returned to music shortly after. However, the trauma of the event led to substance abuse problems for many years.

“We couldn’t imagine going on after something like that,” Rossington said of the tragedy. “We were a brotherhood and when you lose your brothers you can’t just go on.”

In later years, Rossington would form The Rossington Collins Band with Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmate Allen Collins, then later The Rossington Band with his wife, Dale Krantz-Rossington.

Gary Rossington passed away on March 5, 2023, at his home in Milton, Georgia, following heart surgery two years prior. He was 71 years old when he passed and was the last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. His killer licks and iconic guitar riffs will live on in fans of Southern rock forever.

Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Big Barrel