Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top are out on the road this week without minus key members due to health issues.
Skynyrd co-founder and guitarist Gary Rossington underwent emergency heart surgery last week to have a stent put in.
The band put out a statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Gary Rossington as he home resting and recovering with his family. He wants everyone to know he is doing good and expects a full recovery.”
Fans will recall Rossington had a heart attack in 2015, underwent heart surgery in 2016 and had a procedure to repair a leaky heart valve back in 2019.
Thin Lizzy guitarist Damon Johnson is filling in with Lynyrd Skynyrd for now.
ZZ Top performed this past Friday evening with a big show in New Lenox, Illinois without bassist Dusty Hill who recently injured his hip.
Their statement reads:: “The members of ZZ Top, Billy [Gibbons], and Frank [Beard], would like to share that Dusty, their fearless bass player, is on a short detour back to Texas to address a hip issue. They await a speedy recovery and [to] have him back pronto. Per Dusty’s request the show must go on! With that directive, ZZ Top has put the services of Mr. Elwood Francis, their trusted guitar tech of the past two decades, into play with his slide guitar, bass guitar and harmonica playing in full swing.”
Billy Gibbons added, “And with Elwood to our right, rest assured ZZ Top will deliver their good time, signature show… Elwood securing the bottom end continues the delivery [of] those famous three chords we all dig.”
Hill originally injured his hip in 2014 after falling on the band's tour bus. This was the first show ZZ has ever performed without him.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]