Five Facts You Probably Haven’t Heard About Gary Rossington Of Lynyrd Skynyrd

From his early days as a musician to his struggles with addiction and health, Gary Rossington experienced a lot throughout his life. As the last surviving member of Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s original lineup after the death of Larry Junstrom, he carried the band’s legacy for over five decades. With his sudden passing on March 5, Rossington left his fans, family, and friends heartbrokenHe will surely be remembered for his valuable contributions to the band.

As one of the founding members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rossington’s guitar playing helped define the band’s sound for more than five decades. While many fans are familiar with some of the more well-known facts about Rossington and his career, there are a number of lesser-known details that might surprise even the most devoted Skynyrd fans. Here are five facts you might not know about the late guitarist.

5. Gary Rossington Faced Problems At School Due To His Long Hair

Despite experiencing the tragedy of losing his father at a young age, Gary Rossington had a pretty normal childhood. However, during his high school years at West Jacksonville’s Robert E. Lee High School, he found himself suspended for his long hair. After hearing the news, Lacy Van Zant, patriarch of the Van Zant family, went to the school to plead Gary’s case.

Although he didn’t like long-haired boys, Lacy Van Zant told the assistant principal that Gary Rossington’s father died in the army, so he needed to work to make ends meet and take care of his mother. The ‘work’ mentioned was playing in a rock band, and Lacy claimed Gary’s long hair was a part of the job. Despite his efforts, the guitarist ended up dropping out of school.

4. Ronnie Van Zant Was Like A Father Figure For Him

As we mentioned, Gary Rossington’s father died in the army shortly after the guitarist was born. Throughout his childhood, Gary grew extremely close to his mother and lacked a father figure. However, becoming friends with Ronnie Van Zant at high school ended up being a turning point for him.

Gary and Ronnie were close friends, and the singer became a father figure to him. He was three years younger than Ronnie, and it was the Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman who taught him and his bandmates how to drive a car. According to Rossington, Van Zant also introduced them to numerous other things a young man should know.

3. Rossington Was The Inspiration Behind A Dark Lynyrd Skynyrd Song

In 1976, on Labor Day weekend, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington both had serious car accidents. Rossington had just bought a new Ford Torino at that time and was under the influence of alcohol and other drugs when he crashed into a tree. This incident inspired Ronnie Van Zant and Collins to come up with a song: ‘That Smell.’

After the accident, Lynyrd Skynyrd was forced to postpone a tour they were scheduled to begin several days later, and Gary had to pay a $5,000 fine to each of his bandmates for causing the delay. ‘That Smell’ was based on the consequences of the car crash and the devastating effects of substance abuse.

2. He Survived Numerous Tragedies In His Life

Apart from losing his father and having no chance to spend time with him at all, Gary Rossington suffered from several other tragedies. He was one of the passengers who survived the tragic plane crash that took the lives of Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, and three others. This was a traumatic experience, and losing his friends was difficult to cope with.

Rossington battled with severe substance addiction, especially after the plane crash, as he was heavily dependent on pain medication during his recovery. The guitarist also had numerous health issues in later years — he underwent quintuple-bypass heart surgery and suffered several heart attacks. Sadly, he recently passed away on March 5 after surviving all those tragedies.

1. Gary Rossington Actually Wanted To Be A Baseball Player

Before deciding to pursue a music career, Gary Rossington had a strong childhood interest in baseball. According to his mother, he aspired to play for his favorite team, the New York Yankees. Although he was a good ball player, Rossington listened to the Rolling Stones one day and decided he liked rock and roll more than baseball.

Many of you probably know that Gary’s love for baseball indirectly led to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s formation. He met Ronnie Van Zant and Bob Burns while playing on rival Jacksonville baseball teams and decided to jam together after Burns hit Van Zant with a ball. After the jam session, they immediately thought it would be best to form a band. So, thanks to the trio’s common interest in baseball, we have a legendary band like Lynyrd Skynyrd in rock music history.