Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist has surgey

LOS ANGELES (Lynyrd Skynyrd Fans Website) - Gary Rossington, a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, underwent successful heart bypass surgery this week, a spokesman said.

The quintuple bypass surgery was performed Tuesday at an Atlanta area hospital, band spokesman Lathum Nelson said in Los Angeles. The 51-year-old guitarist is expected to fully recover within two to three months.

Dr. Martha Smith said a routine screening indicated that Rossington had severe coronary artery disease.
"He was taken immediately to surgery and had a successful quintuple bypass. He is doing extremely well," she said in a statement.

Release of Lynyrd Skynyrd's new CD, "Vicious Cycle," will be pushed back from May 6 until late June, Nelson said Wednesday. Tour dates through May 25 are being rescheduled.

In a joint statement, the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd said: "Gary is doing fine after his surgery, and we want him to take the time to properly recover so he can return to his first love, which is the band he started 30 years ago. For all the fans who've bought tickets to the upcoming shows and who've been waiting for the new album, hang in there - we'll be back soon."
The band's hits include "Free Bird" and Sweet Home Alabama".