In 1972 guitarist Ed King joined Lynyrd Skynyrd and would go on to help define their iconic sound. His contributions can't be overstated. While some fans out there might not know his name, you certainly know his work. There would be no "Sweet Home Alabama" without Ed King. "Free Bird" would not be the same without Ed King. The man was a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for a reason.
While a cause of death for Mr. King has not been specified, we do know that he'd been battling lung cancer for some time and was recently hospitalized due to that fight.
As reported by Page Six, guitarist Gary Rossington released a statement that can be found on the various social media platforms for the band. Below is one such tribute found on their official Instagram account, featuring an old photo of Ed doing what he did best.
Rest in peace, Ed, from all of us here at the show.