Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere is the first studio album by the Rossington Collins Band. It includes their most successful single, “Don’t Misunderstand Me”. It was recorded at (the now defunct) El Adobe Studios in El Paso, Texas. Released July 1980.
“Prime Time” 4:06 “Three Times as Bad” 6:04 “Don’t Misunderstand Me” 3:58 “One Good Man” 4:40 “Opportunity” 4:34 “Getaway” 7:26 “Winners and Losers” 5:10 “Misery Loves Company” 4:49 “Sometimes You Can Put It Out” 5:44
Allen Collins – lead & rhythm guitars Barry Lee Harwood – lead & rhythm guitars, slide guitar, vocals Derek Hess – drums, percussion Dale Krantz – lead vocals Billy Powell – keyboards Gary Rossington – lead & rhythm guitars, slide guitar Leon Wilkeson – bass guitar
Gary Robert Rossington (December 4, 1951 – March 5, 2023) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the longest-serving remaining original member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, in which he played lead and rhythm guitar.
In 2009, he became the last original member to remain in the band, and became the last surviving original member in 2019 until his death on March 5, 2023.
Rossington was also a founding member of the Rossington Collins Band, along with former bandmate Allen Collins.
Rossington’s mother recalled that he had a strong childhood interest in baseball and aspired as a child to one day play for the New York Yankees. Rossington recalled that he was a “good ball player” but upon hearing the Rolling Stones in his early teens he became interested in music and ultimately gave up on his baseball aspirations.
It was Rossington’s love of baseball that indirectly led to the formation of Lynyrd Skynyrd in the summer of 1964. He, Ronnie Van Zant, and Bob Burns became acquainted while playing on rival Jacksonville baseball teams and the trio decided to jam together one afternoon after Burns was injured by a ball hit by Van Zant. They set up their equipment in the carport of Burns’ parents’ house and played The Rolling Stones’ then-current hit “Time Is on My Side”. Liking what they heard, they immediately decided to form a band. Naming themselves The Noble Five (with the additions of guitarist Allen Collins and bassist Larry Junstrom) they later changed the name of the band to The One Percent before eventually settling on the name Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1969.
Rossington grew up in a single parent household and said that early in their relationship, Van Zant became somewhat of a father figure to him. He credited Van Zant, who was three years his senior, with teaching him and his bandmates how to drive a car, as well as introducing them to “all that stuff you learn when you’re 14, 15, 16”.
According to a New York Times article, Lacy Van Zant, patriarch of the Van Zant family, once went to West Jacksonville’s Robert E. Lee High School to plead Rossington’s case to school administrators after the fatherless Rossington was suspended for having long hair. Lacy Van Zant explained to the assistant principal that Rossington’s father, who died shortly after Rossington was born, had died in the Army and that Rossington’s mother needed the money Rossington made playing in his band. Lacy Van Zant further explained that, like his own sons, they were working men and long hair was part of the job. It’s not known if the elder Van Zant’s efforts were successful, but Rossington later dropped out of high school to focus on Lynyrd Skynyrd full-time.
Rossington and Dale Krantz-Rossington were married in 1982 and had two daughters.
Rossington suffered a heart attack on October 8, 2015, after which two Lynyrd Skynyrd concerts had to be canceled. In July 2021, he underwent emergency heart surgery.
On March 5, 2023, it was announced by multiple sources that Rossington had died. He was 71.
This RadioMax special features our Library of music from 1980 A2Z.
We are moving into the final segments of 1980 music. This installment features music from Dickey Lee, Barbra Streisand, Rossington-Collins Band, Jerry Reed, Pat Benatar, Hoyt Axton, Red Rider, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Rockpile, Romantics, Devo, Poco, Journey and many more. Tomorrow we feature the completion of this segment and start our travel into 1981 next Tuesday.
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