Friday, December 4: Happy Birthday Gary Rossington

Happy Birthday today (Dec. 4) to guitarist and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd Gary Rossington. He’s 64. As of 2015, Rossington is the only original member still with the band.

Rossington plays lead guitar and occasionally rhythm guitar. In additon to Lynyrd Skynyrd, he was also a founder of the Rossington-Collins Band with Allen Collins. Lynyrd Skynyrd first gained popularity out of Jacksonville, Florida in 1973 with their debut album and the hit "Freebird". Three band members died in a terrible plane crash at the height of their success in 1977. The band would reunite in 1987 with surviving members and lead singer Johnny Van Zant (younger brother of singer and founder Ronnie Van Zant) and would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

Lynyrd Skynyrd released "One More for The Fans", a two cd/dvd concert set this past summer and continue to tour with dates scheduled through 2016.