Rickey Medlocke Is Still Grappling With Gary Rossington’s Death

Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Rickey Medlocke revealed that he was still grappling with the death of his bandmate, Gary Rossington, who passed away in March.

Rossington, who was the band’s last surviving original member, had been in and out of the group’s lineup in recent years due to ongoing health issues. Still, during a conversation with Fox17 in Nashville, Medlocke admitted that accepting he is truly gone has been difficult.

"When we came back after a year and a half (due to the pandemic), man, it opened up after things started opening, we got right back into it,” the rocker explained. “Gary, on the other hand, found himself in a situation — bless his heart, man — to where he couldn't go out anymore, and we just lost him this year. And that really broke my heart.”

READ MORE: Top 10 Gary Rossington Songs

Medlocke further admitted that Rossington’s death continues to weigh on him, even as Lynyrd Skynyrd pushes forth.

“I don't think that I've quite — still right now, after all this time, I don't think I've quite settled with it,” the guitarist confessed. “Because we were such really good friends ever since we were teenagers. And being on stage with him every night when we were touring is just something you'll miss the rest of your life."

Is Lynyrd Skynyrd Touring in 2024?

In the wake of Rossington's death, Lynyrd Skynyrd has continued to tour. The band is scheduled to perform on New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash, a star-studded five-hour CBS special ringing in 2024.

In March, the band will hit the road once more, rejoining with ZZ Top in a continuation of their Sharp Dressed Simple Man tour.