(CNN) Ed King, the Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist who co-wrote the Southern rock anthem, "Sweet Home Alabama," has died.

The retired guitarist died Wednesday at his home in Nashville, according to his Facebook page. The post did not include a cause of death or King's age.

King was a member of the Florida band in its early days. He left before a 1977 plane crash in Mississippi that killed three members of the group and later rejoined for a reunion tour.

King was one of three writers of "Sweet Home Alabama," which was released on the album "Second Helping" in April 1974. The rollicking track begins with King counting "1-2-3," before the guitar lick that generations have come to know as a tribute to the state of Alabama.

"When we were out in the country driving all the time, we would listen to the radio. Neil Young had 'Southern Man,' and it was kind of cutting the South down. And so Ronnie (Van Zant) just said, 'We need to show people how the real Alabama is,' " guitarist and founder member Gary Rossington told Garden & Gun in 2015.

Read More