Lynyrd Skynyrd heads to Strawberry Festival for first show since death of Gary Rossington

Last weekend, we lost 71-year-old Gary Rossington, the sole surviving member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who also lived through the 1977 plane crash that claimed the lives of multiple band members.

The band’s farewell tour was meant to be Rossington’s final outing, partially due to health issues, but he still performed on and off with the 21st century iteration of Skynyrd.

It’s anyone’s guess whether the late guitarist was scheduled to show up to the band’s Strawberry Festival-closing performance on Sunday, but it’s Skynyrd’s first show since his passing, so freebirds, be ready for a bittersweet finale.

Tickets to see Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City on Sunday, March 12 are still available for $60 via flstrawberryfestival.com, in addition to admission at the gate.

This article appears in Mar 2-8, 2023.