Gary Rossington, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist and last original member, dies at 71

Gary Rossington, the longtime Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist who played critical roles on the timeless Southern rock anthems “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” has died, the band announced. He was 71. A cause of death wasn’t released for Rossington, the final surviving member from the band’s original lineup. “Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does,” reads the Facebook announcement shared late Sunday by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Originally named My Backyard, the group debuted out of Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964 with Rossington and Allen Collin...