Former American musician and songwriter, Gary Rossington was married to Dale Krantz (72) for a period of 41 years. Dale was a singer who served as a vocalist for many bands from the 70s. Gary Rossington’s Wife was the first female vocalist to be voted into the Gritz Hall of Fame.
She and her husband met and began to work together in his band sometime in the late 1980s and they even collaborated on songs such as ‘Free Bird’, ‘Tuesday’s Gone’, ‘Hold on Loosely’, and a couple of other sounds.
From being a lead vocalist, Krantz became a back-up artiste as well as the wife to one of the founding members of Rossington Collins band. She is undoubtedly a huge part of Gary’s 71 years on earth.
Here are Things You Should Know about Dale Krantz Rossington
1. She Began Singing at a Very Young Age
Dale was very young when she began to get involved in music as she was born to a choir director. She was born on June 12, 1952 in Indiana, and grew up in a musical family as her siblings were all into music.
Her farthest memory of ever being involved in anything musical dates to when she was in she used to sing hymns in church. According to Krantz, as soon as she could talk, she was recruited into the choir.
Growing up close to Detroit also exposed her to rhythm and blues of the 1950s that would blare on her radio. Soon, she started rehearsing tracks from the likes of Jonny Mathis, in front of the mirror.
2. Dale has a Degree in Music Education
On the advice and insistence of her parents, Dale Krantz studied and got a bachelor in Music Education from college. Mr. and Mrs. Krantz felt that she needed the education to fall back to in case her initial desires failed.
While in college, Dale formed a duet with a music major who was also a musician. She would sing while he played the piano. The name of this band was Sweet Seasons – named after Carole King’s song.
Dale and her duet partner began to make so much waves that they began to play at clubs in their neighborhood.
The singer barely finished her college program before she began to tour. In reference to an interview, Dale didn’t wait to get her certificate after her final exams before she hit the road. Considering that she was never really interested in teaching, and getting the education was mostly her parents’ idea, Krantz never really thought to put the certificate to use.
3. She was First Introduced to her Husband in 1977
In 1976, Dale sang with Leon Russell for a while and got exposed to the musical group known as 38 Special. With that exposure, she was recruited into their group as a back-up singer by 1977.
Dale was with the 38 Special for a few months, and with them, she was opportune to open for Lynyrd Skynyrd, a 1964-formed band.
The original members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd were Ronnie Van Zant who served as the lead vocalist, Gary Rossington, who played the guitar, Allen Collins on the guitar as well, Larry Junstrom on the bass guitar, and Bob Burns who played the drums.
In 1977, Krantz and the 38 Special group opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd and that was her first encounter with Gary.
In the same year, the members of the band were involved in an accident and lost a few of them. The only surviving members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd band were Gary, Allen Collins, Billy Powell, and Leon Wilkeson.
After the crash, Collins and Gary started the Rossington Collins Band and Dale quit 38 Special to join this new band as a lead singer. She has credits to songs such as Simple Man, Sweet Home Alabama, Free Bird, Tuesday’s Gone, Caught Up in You, amongst others.
The young musician was also part of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve, The Vicious Cycle Tour in 2003, Decades Rock Live, and 2018’s If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd.
This meeting and collaboration was the beginning of the story between the couple who got married soon after. In 1981, Krantz and Rossington became a couple and a year later, in July 13, 1982, they got married.
Rossington did not propose to the former 38 Special backup singer. Krantz-Rossington was the one who suggested that they get married and Gary responded with an ‘Ok’. They got married a week later in a small church in her hometown. The only guests present at the wedding were her sister, brother-in-law, nephew, and a dog because they got married in a rush.
It wasn’t until 2011 when the couple had a proper wedding ceremony with proper planning, a wedding gown and even a TV show, TLC, specially for the wedding.
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4. Dale Rossington and Gary Rossington Bore 2 Children Together
Through the 41 years of marriage between Gary and Dale, they bore 2 daughters known as Mary Elizabeth and Annie Rossington.
Not so much is known about the girls but Mary Elizabeth is known to be a great professional cook who went to culinary school. According to Dale, she does not enjoy cooking but thankfully, her daughter does and she whips up a lot for them.
Gary and his wife had their children while still very active in the music scene. Krantz, as a mother was still touring with the band and performing. Now, their daughters are married and have given the musicians grandchildren.
5. Gary Rossington, Dale Krantz Rossington’s Husband Died on March 5, 2023 at the Age of 71
After surviving the plane crash in 1977, a heart attack on October 8, 2015 and undergoing a heart surgery in 2021, Gary Rossington eventually passed on in 2023.
In 2023, he was the only surviving band member of the original band after the death of Larry Junstrom, the bassist, who died in 2019.
At the age of 71, the Rossington Collins band member died leaving behind 6 other members of the Rossington Collins band. He is also survived by his 72-year-old wife, 2 daughters, and grand children.
During their marriage, Krantz was always by his side and through all he went through. She confessed that she has always been and remained in love with the musician and all they went through only made their love and relationship grew stronger.
