Southern Rocker Larry “LJ” Junstrom, K4EB, died on October 6. He was reported to be 70.

Junstrom was a founding member and bassist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, although he left the group before it recorded its first album. He’s better known as a member of another Southern Rock band, 38 Special, with which he performed from 1977 until retiring in 2014.

“The Big Man on the Big Bass has left us,” said a statement on the 38 Special website. “He rocked arenas all over the world and succeeded in living his dream. He was truly one of a kind, a congenial traveling companion and a great friend to all with a humorous slant on life that always kept our spirits high — a kind man with a big heart for everyone who crossed his path.”

Licensed in 1962 as WN2LKF, later becoming WA4LKF, he was a regular attendee of Orlando HamCation. Junstrom was inactive in Amateur Radio during his busy years on the road but picked up Amateur Radio again in 1990 and became an avid DXer with 347 entities in mixed DXCC. He was a frequent check-in to the Musicians’ Net on 40 meters. After retirement, Junstrom worked in real estate in north-central Florida.