BILLY GIBBONS, SLASH And Others Set To Perform LYNYRD SKYNYRD Tribute at 2023 CMT AWARDS

The CMT Music Awards will celebrate Southern rock band LYNYRD SKYNYRD this weekend with an all-star tribute combining country music's biggest stars and some of the rock genre's most recognizable names.

Billy Gibbons, Chuck Leavell, Cody Johnson, Paul Rodgers, Slash and Warren Haynes are set to honor the band and original founding member Gary Rossington, who recently passed away. LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna Judd will join as "The Honkettes."

The tribute comes on the 50th anniversary of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's first album. Cody Johnson and Paul Rodgers will lead vocals with Billy Gibbons, Slash and Warren Haynes on electric guitar for pair of timeless LYNYRD SKYNYRD hits.

Dale Krantz Rossington, band member and wife of late guitarist Gary Rossington (pictured),will attend the performance alongside fellow LYNYRD SKYNYRD band members Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlocke.

Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown will host the 2023 CMT Music Awards, which will air live from Austin, Texas's Moody Center on Sunday, April 2 from 8:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 p.m. PT on the CBS television network.

Previously announced performances include Alanis Morissette with Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson, Madeline Edwards and Morgan Wade, Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Cody Johnson, Gwen Stefani with Carly Pearce, Jelly Roll, Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, THE BLACK CROWES and Darius Rucker, Tyler Hubbard and Wynonna Judd with Ashley McBryde. Avery Anna, Chapel Hart, Jackson Dean, Lily Rose, Megan Moroney and Nate Smith will perform from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.

Top nominees are Lainey Wilson with four nods and Johnson, co-host Kane Brown and first-time nominee Jelly Roll with three each. Shania Twain will receive the Equal Play Award.

Rossington was the last surviving founding member of LYNYRD SKYNYRD. On March 5, his bandmates announced the news of his death in a statement shared on their social media.

"It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we have to advise, that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today," they wrote.

"Gary is now with his SKYNYRD brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does," the group continued. "Please keep Dale, Mary, Annie and the entire Rossington family in your prayers and respect the family's privacy at this difficult time."

No cause of death was disclosed.

The guitarist had previously dealt with various heart problems throughout the years, including emergency heart surgery in 2021.