Gary Rossington, guitarist and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, dead at 71

March 6 (UPI) -- Gary Rossington, one of the founding members of iconic Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, has died at 71.

The band announced his death on its official Facebook page Monday.

"It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we have to advise, that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today," the Facebook post reads.

"Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does. Please keep Dale, Mary, Annie and the entire Rossington family in your prayers and respect the family's privacy at this difficult time."

Rossington was born in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 4, 1951. His band was formed about 13 years later, also in Jacksonville, after he met singer Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom while playing baseball, according to the band's website.

The guitarist survived the fatal plane crash that killed Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines, and road manager Dean Kilpatrick in 1977, according to their biography. The band would part ways for a decade before reforming, and it continued on with a number of different lineups

Rossington continued to play with the band until 2021, Rolling Stone reports. Since 2003, he had several heart procedures and eventually decided to step away from touring as he recovered from another procedure in 2021. He told Rolling Stone he was still able to play guitar, but going on the road was too difficult.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. As part of the band's induction speech, Rossington addressed the numerous tragedies that befell Lynyrd Skynyrd over the years. According to Rolling Stone, Rossington said, "I don't think of it as tragedy -- I think of it as life. I think the good outweighs the bad."