Surviving a plane crash that killed three of his bandmates, Gary Rossington was Lynyrd Skynyrd’s last remaining original member until his death in March 2023. Recently, his bandmates revealed what Rossington hoped for the Southern rock group after he was no longer around.
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Gary Rossington Wanted Lynyrd Skynyrd to Outlive Him
Recently sitting down with Fox New Digital, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Rickey Medlocke and lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant remembered Gary Rossington. They are doing their best to honor the OG member onstage.
“I don’t want to get off the bus of life one day and have him to whoop my a–,” Medlocke joked. He added, “His spirit is all over the stage.
Rossington strongly wanted the band’s legacy to continue after his death, Johnny Van Zant said.
“He knew his health was getting bad and he had told me, he said… ‘I’ve spent my life carrying on this legacy, and after I’m gone I don’t want to see this band go away,” Van Zant said.
In 2021, the band brought former Thin Lizzy guitarist Damon Johnson aboard while Rossington recovered from emergency heart surgery.
“And Gary kind of mentored him, you know, some and came to rehearsal,” Van Zant said. “And, you know, he wanted this music to go on, man. I don’t think me and Rickey would be here if Gary said, ‘Hey, after I’m gone I want this to go away.’ So, we’re carrying out his wishes as long as we can.”
Their Latest Album is a Tribute to Him
Last Friday (July 4) Lynryd Skynyrd released the album Celebrating 50 Years – Live at the Ryman in honor of Gary Rossington. The November 2022 show was Rossington’s final performance before his death at age 71.
“This was never supposed to be a live release,” Johnny Van Zant said. “It was done for PBS. And after Gary passed, we were like, you know what? We think all the fans need to have this in their collection… and what they loved about the band. And Gary, you know, loved the fans and I know he’d probably be going, ‘Hell yeah, put it out!’”
Rickey Medlocke said he believes Rossington would give that recording “a thumbs up.”
“It was real special for us, you know?” he said.
Featured image by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Webster PR)
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