RIP Gary Rossington

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd

 

[cowbell88]

That bird is free. Rest in peace Gary.

 

[Cantdoitsal]

Gary hasn't been with The Skynyrd Band for some time now, no? Wasn't he permanently disabled in a wheel chair since the crash and never played with the "new" Skynyrd band? I think the band still tours with Ronnie's Brother. I saw 'em back in the early 80's on High Street in Jacktown when Billy Powell was still on the piano and smoking weed was still tolerated in coliseums. This is one of the best live videos of all time IMO. You'll be hard pressed to find one where the audience is more awestruck and whipped into such a frenzy. Oh, and can you imagine The Stars and Bars being brandished in Oakland, CA in today's times?

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Gary hasn't been with The Skynyrd Band for some time now, no? Wasn't he permanently disabled in a wheel chair since the crash and never played with the "new" Skynyrd band? I think the band still tours with Ronnie's Brother. I saw 'em back in the early 80's on High Street in Jacktown when Billy Powell was still on the piano and smoking weed was still tolerated in coliseums. This is one of the best live videos of all time IMO. You'll be hard pressed to find one where the audience is more awestruck and whipped into such a frenzy. Oh, and can you imagine The Stars and Bars being brandished in Oakland, CA in today's times?

Allen Collins was the one who was paralyzed in the car crash. He passed away in ‘90.

Gary Rossington had heart issues: a heart attack back in ‘15 & emergency surgery in ‘21. He rarely played with the band since that surgery.

 

[Rupert Jenkins]

That is definitely some of the best music ever played. Johnny is certainly not Ronnie but them regrouping and continuing the music is a great thing.

 

[MagnoliaHunter]

My uncle took me to see them in 1976 when I was 12. It was AMAZING. Still the best concert I have ever been to. I think .38 Special was the opening act.

 

[ArcadeDawg]

Saw them at the Ryman for their 50 year anniversary a few months ago. It’s supposed to be replayed on PBS this month. Gary started Freebird then had an issue with his guitar so JVZ stopped the song to let him get the issue corrected.
It was a great show.

 

[HumpDawgy]

That is definitely some of the best music ever played. Johnny is certainly not Ronnie but them regrouping and continuing the music is a great thing.

Even though it was a little rough at first, Johnny did a great job leading the band. He just needed a little time to grow into the job and get comfortable being himself and not just trying to fill those huge shoes.

 

[Podgy]

Great guitarist, great riffs and solos, knew when to hold on to a note and was never in a rush to get anywhere in any solo. Nice work on Call Me the Breeze

 

[PhredPhantom]

All aboard for a trip in the Way-Back Machine.
I saw them in the old gym at Mississippi State decades ago - I don’t remember the year; sometime in the late70s or early 80s I would guess. Freebird was awesome.

 

[Called3rdstrikedawg]

The current band will be playing at the Brandon Amphitheater this year.

 

[She Mate Me]

Last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd

A lot of lineup changes, but Artimus Pyle still lives and I think you gotta consider him an original member (He went into the Rock Hall).

And Rossington was basically THE driving force in keeping the band going through the years, despite his health issues.

"Play it pretty for Atlanta..."

This is 3 months before the plane crash in Oakland. Rossington is the guy playing the opening slide guitar licks...

 

[Curby]

A lot of lineup changes, but Artimus Pyle still lives and I think you gotta consider him an original member (He went into the Rock Hall).

Original drummer was Bob Burns

 

[She Mate Me]

Original drummer was Bob Burns

I know, but the guy playing drums during much of their most prolific touring was Pyle.

But, it's definitely not correct to call him a founding member and Rossington is certainly the last of the true influencers of the original band.

 

[AstroDog]

I consider Artimus Pyle an original member, but he doesn't drum any more.

 

[MSUDOG24]

All aboard for a trip in the Way-Back Machine.
I saw them in the old gym at Mississippi State decades ago - I don’t remember the year; sometime in the late70s or early 80s I would guess. Freebird was awesome.

I'm going to say it was the spring of 1975. They weren't super huge yet and anything much later was in the "new" Hump. Yep, finished with Freebird with a broken sting flapping around as I recall. Saw Quicksilver Messenger Service there that spring as well. Fun times.

 

[HumpDawgy]

I liked Burns style over Artimus. The start of "I aint the one" is awesome. Unfortunately he went a little Cray Cray and Artimus came in and did fine. Funny thing being, Artimus is not completely sane either.

 

[thatsbaseball]

All aboard for a trip in the Way-Back Machine.
I saw them in the old gym at Mississippi State decades ago - I don’t remember the year; sometime in the late70s or early 80s I would guess. Freebird was awesome.

Saw them at this "music festival" in 1974. 50.000 tickets were sold and 300,000 showed up. The last song they played was "Free Bird" and when they played the first note a huge rebel flag unfurled behind them and the crowd went wild. Crazy times

 

[PhredPhantom]

I'm going to say it was the spring of 1975. They weren't super huge yet and anything much later was in the "new" Hump. Yep, finished with Freebird with a broken sting flapping around as I recall. Saw Quicksilver Messenger Service there that spring as well. Fun times.

While we’re still in the Ways-Back Machine, I also saw Z Z Top at Mississippi State in the Cow Barn (the old Animal Husbandry Building). The main event floor is a dirt floor. Also saw (at a different time, of course) Ferante and Teischer (piano guys - girls loved them) in that same venue.
Music Maker Productions was really good back then.

 

[HumpDawgy]

View attachment 316247

Wow....what a lineup.

 

[thatsbaseball]

Wow....what a lineup.

View attachment 316270

Yeah we went for the music and had no idea what we were getting in to. Google Ozark Music Festival it was fun but it was WILD. Many claim it was bigger than Woodstock.

 

[AstroDog]

I'd leave right now for that lineup and drive to wherever!

 

[theoriginalSALTYdog]

Last surviving original member of Lynyrd

I saw them as recently as 2019 at Snowden Grove. Question for anyone living in that area but why have they not had any concerts there in the last couple of years? I enjoyed going there but haven't seen any shows listed there in a while.

 

[stateu1]

I saw them as recently as 2019 at Snowden Grove. Question for anyone living in that area but why have they not had any concerts there in the last couple of years? I enjoyed going there but haven't seen any shows listed there in a while.

They redid the amphitheater. I think they put seats in where the lawn was. Shows coming this year.