I was really hoping someone else would start this thread. because I want to remain respectful and not make a tasteless joke about the longest Final Destination movie ever. Yet here I am.
RIP, Gary.
In another life (when I was like 13) I thought Allen Collins and Rossington’s guitar work on “Free Bird” was the greatest thing ever put on a record. My tastes have changed but I can’t say the man or his band never gave me joy.
I used to live in (and still live near) Jacksonville, Fl, hometown of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Needless to say, they and their music have always figured large in these parts (rightfully so). They’ve often been spotted around town, staying close to their roots. Hard to find a biker bar that doesn’t feature Skynyrd prominently on their playlist.
Jax mourned long and hard after the plane crash that killed Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, and seriously injured the rest of the band. Freebird and Sweet Home Alabama are still kick-ass Southern Rock songs!
RIP Gary Rossington
Here’s a nice tribute to the band:
One More from the Road was huge when I was in 8th grade and I was really into Skynyrd and all the Southern Rock bands that came out of that era, seeing many of them when they came through the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ, but missed Skynyrd (I think I saw Ronnie’s brother front Rossington/Collins band).
I thought I knew most of the story, but really enjoyed the documentary on Netflix:
Artimus Pyle wasn’t a founding member but he joined in 1974. He went for help after the plane crash.
Artimus first session was Saturday Night Special on the third album Nuthin’ Fancy.
Gary and Ed were fantastic on guitar. Both gone now.
We’re all hearing the song in our heads now.