Ronnie Van Zant
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Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Van Zant (January 15, 1948 – October 20, 1977) was the lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He was the older brother of .38 Special founder and vocalist Donnie Van Zant and current Lynyrd Skynyrd lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant.
Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Van Zant formed the band late in the summer of 1964 with friends and schoolmates Allen Collins (guitar), Gary Rossington (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass), and Bob Burns (drums). Lynyrd Skynyrd's name was inspired by a gym teacher the boys had in high school, Leonard Skinner, who disapproved of kids with long hair.
The band's national exposure began in 1973 with the release of their debut album, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, which included their signature song, "Free Bird", which he often attributed to his friend, the late Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band.
Lynyrd Skynyrd's biggest hit single, although "Free Bird" was a close second, "Sweet Home Alabama", was an answer song to Neil Young's "Alabama" and "Southern Man". The common belief that Van Zant and Young were rivals is incorrect—they were actually fans of each other and considered collaborating together on several occasions.
On October 20, 1977, a plane carrying the band between shows from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi. The crash killed Van Zant, as well as bandmates Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray. The other band members survived, although all were seriously injured.
Van Zant often told those closest to him he would never live to see 30 and he wanted to die with his boots on. Sure enough he died three months short of his 30th birthday.
Van Zant's younger brother, Johnny, took over as the new lead singer when the band reunited in 1987.
Van Zant was buried in Orange Park, Florida in 1977, but was relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and bandmate Steve Gaines' tombs on June 29, 2000. Van Zant's casket was pulled out and spilled on the ground. The bag containing Gaines' ashes was torn open and some spilled into the grass. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit.
Van Zant was married twice, and is survived by two daughters.
