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King joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1972 not long
after the band formed, and with two other lead guitarists, Gary
Rossington and Allen Collins, helped create the group's powerful
triple-guitar sound prominent on such rock classics as "Free
Bird."
Rossington, a founding member of the band, said on Thursday he
was "shocked and saddened" by King's death.
A notice on King's Facebook page said he died at his home in
Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday. No cause of death was
revealed.
King left the group in 1975, two years before a plane crash
killed two of the band's members and a backup vocalist.
"Ed was our brother, and a great songwriter and guitar player,"
Rossington wrote on the band's official Twitter account. "I know
he will be reunited with the rest of the boys in Rock & Roll
Heaven."
King returned to Lynyrd Skynyrd when the band regrouped in 1987,
and stayed until 1996. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame as part of the band in 2006.
During his original stint, King co-wrote several songs,
including 1974 hit "Sweet Home Alabama," a retort to Neil
Young's "Southern Man." The California native previously played
with the psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Steve Gorman and Peter
Cooney)
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