As a member of the rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, he played lead guitar on the song “Tuesday’s Gone” and side guitar on the song “Free Bird”. He has also played the guitar on the song “Simple Man”. During the Labor Day weekend in 1976, Rossington hit an oak tree with his newly purchased Ford Torino under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. Due to this incident, the band had to postpone their tour, for which he was fined $5000. The band’s song “That Smell” was based on the incident.
He would survive yet another accident, but this time it was a plane crash that occurred on 20th October 1977. However, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, and three other band members couldn’t survive this accident. During the plane crash, Gary broke his arms, legs, wrists, ankles, and pelvis. However, he recovered from his injuries and played on stage again but with the use of steel rods in his right arm and leg. Post-accident, he developed a serious drug addiction.
He founded the Rossington Collins Band in 1980 along with Allen Collins. The band was able to release two albums before disbanding in 1982 due to the death of Allen’s wife. After that, Gary formed The Rossington Band with his wife, Dale Krantz-Rossington. The band released an album in 1986 and then in 1988.
