Even if the band’s lineup doesn’t feature most of the original members now, Lynyrd Skynyrd has been faithfully performing their crowd-pleasers like ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ and ‘Simple Man.’ Although the band members had previously announced that they would retire from touring in a few years, Gary Rossington, the only remaining original member, is not quite sure about that, as he recently discussed Skynyrd’s future with Rolling Stone.
“It’s a tribute band right now, and everybody knows it’s not the original,” Rossington said about the band’s current situation. “Everybody who comes to see us is told that during the show and probably knows before they even get there. But people still come to hear it live. In a couple of years, it’s supposed to possibly stop, and maybe it won’t.”
So, though they intend to stop touring in a few years, the guitarist still left the door open for any possibility. Gary Rossington lastly added, “I just don’t know because who can predict the future? We’ll decide then what’s really going to happen.”
The guitarist has been struggling with some health issues related to his heart, preventing him from taking his place in Lynyrd Skynyrd’s recent live shows. Damon Johnson has been performing with the band as a replacement for him during the band’s ongoing Big Wheels Keep On Turning Tour.
Elsewhere in the interview, Rossington said he wanted to put on as many shows as possible next year since he can still play despite all the health problems. However, traveling to different cities and staying in hotels still worries him as he doesn’t want to tire himself too much due to his current physical condition.
