Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington expected to make full recovery after emergency heart surgery
He encouraged the band to continue performing while he recuperates.
Photo: Scott Dudelson / Getty
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Gary Rossington is expected to make a full recovery after undergoing emergency heart surgery. He’s encouraged the band to continue performing while he’s recuperating.
The group broke the news to fans on Saturday (24 July), sharing a statement on their Facebook page. They did not divulge the reason as to why Rossington went under the knife.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Gary Rossington as he recovers from emergency heart surgery,” Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote. “Gary is home resting and recovering with his family at home. He wants everyone to know he is doing good and expects a full recovery.”
They added that they have Rossington’s blessing to continue performing in the meantime, in consideration of the country being shut down last year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Music is a powerful healer! We all felt playing the shows and bringing the music to y’all was a better option than cancelling the performances,” they continued. “We wish Gary a speedy recovery and we will see the Skynyrd Nation very soon!”
As vaccinations roll out in the US, the live music industry has begun making somewhat of a return and artists both major and independent are beginning to start gigging again. That’s despite the fact that the US still has the most number of COVID-19 cases (34.5 million) and related deaths (611,000) among countries in the world.