Highlights
- Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd predicted his own death on the age of 30.
- Van Zant's legacy lives on thru his music and lasting impact on the Southern rock style.
- His more youthful brothers, Donnie and Johnny Van Zant, have persevered to have a success careers within the track trade.
Music legends Lynyrd Skynyrd are one of the vital loved Southern rock acts in history. Founded in Jacksonville, Florida, the band received hundreds of thousands of fanatics partly due to the showmanship of the band's first lead singer, Ronnie Van Zant.
Lynyrd Skynyrd enjoyed its greatness success in the 1970s and was a family identify to a era. "Sweet Home Alabama", perhaps the band's maximum iconic paintings, has turn out to be a rock staple and a karaoke classic.
In the height of the band's recognition, a sad plane accident took place which claimed the lives of Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, singer Cassie Gaines, and others. Van Zant continuously thought of his own mortality, which poses the query on whether or not he predicted his untimely death before it took place.
Did Ronnie Van Zant Predict His Own Demise?
Ronnie Van Zant, all over his Lynyrd Skynyrd years, was a hard-working younger man. Not only did he have a hectic traveling schedule, however used to be the glue at the back of the band. He used to be the lead singer, main songwriter, and oversaw the creative imaginative and prescient of the gang. Van Zant and his band mates met as teens and their dreams had been turning into a reality.
Not most effective had been Lynyrd Skynyrd's albums proving to be commercially a success, however the band became a beloved live performance act. Van Zant was assured, while relaxed and had an out of this world level presence.
Ronnie Van Zant |
January 15, 1948 - October 20, 1977 |
Van Zant, an artist of his era, exuberated a free spirit. He incessantly discussed life and death. More commonly, he spoke about his long term death. According to Ati, Van Zant told members of the family and buddies that he would now not are living to 30 years previous. He reportedly informed his father that 30 was his limit, and true to his prediction, Van Zant was killed at 29 in a plane crash.
Van Zant no longer only shared his prediction once, but continuously informed his friends and family that his time would end before he became 30. According to singer Jojo Billingsley who toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Van Zant began to refer to himself as the "Mississippi Kid" near the tip of his existence, although he had no relation to the state. Mississippi is the place Van Zant in the long run died within the band's plane coincidence.
How Van Zant knew his time was once coming near used to be strikingly eery. A young guy, all through the height of his occupation, who can have had an improbable future of him was once now long past and Lynyrd Skynyrd would never be relatively the similar. In truth, Lynyrd Skynyrd's tragic plane twist of fate resulted in disbandment. Without two of the band's core contributors, the rest of Lynyrd Skynyrd who survived did now not understand how to transport forward.
Even after Van Zant's atypical death, he could not leisure in peace. According to MTV, Van Zant and Gaines were buried together in Orange Park, Florida and vandals tried to steal their stays in June 2000.
- Van Zant used to be later removed and reinterred close to his circle of relatives in a massive concrete vault.
- His final resting place is monitored and has the maximum safety.
Ronnie Van Zant and Lynyrd Skynyrd would continue to earn new fans after the 1977 accident. Songs comparable to "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird" cemented the band's place in tune history. Van Zant's legacy would in the end be carried on thru his younger brother, Johnny Van Zant, who helped revive Lynryd Skynyrd within the past due Nineteen Eighties.
What Is Ronnie Van Zant's Legacy?
Alongside musical icons akin to Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, Ronnie Van Zant turned into an almost mythical determine surrounded through thriller. His untimely and tragic death led lovers to wonder:
- What would have came about if Van Zant survived?
- How would Lynyrd Skynyrd have developed over the a long time?
While Van Zant died young and Lynyrd Skynyrd most effective enjoyed a couple of years of big luck all through his lifetime, the enduring entertainer has left a long-lasting legacy. Lynyrd Skynyrd's catalog of information and concert footage has stored Van Zant alive to his lovers and has helped him keep related in a contemporary era.
"Sweet Home Alabama", which earned Lynyrd Skynyrd thousands and thousands, is instantly known by way of kids, teenagers, and adults even though it has a darker meaning and is a protest song.
It is so iconic, that the state of Alabama even allegedly acquired the rights to the song title, though this has brought about felony complexities. Van Zant will at all times continue to exist thru his trustworthy fan base, but even individuals who don't seem to be accustomed to a majority of Lynyrd Skynyrd's paintings, have loved their signature music.
Van Zant's rebelliousness and formative years made him a role type to millions of teens in America. He defined the technology during which he lived and has gone down in history as a southern rock icon.
Van Zant's legacy in the track industry extends beyond himself. His two more youthful brothers, Donnie and Johnny, followed in his footsteps and have enjoyed outstanding careers within the tune business. Donnie Van Zant based and sung lead for southern rock team, 38 Special, from its inception in 1974 to 2013.
Johnny Van Zant helped introduce Lynyrd Skynyrd to a brand new era and was the gang's lead singer in 1987. Due to Ronnie Vant Zant's initial popularity, the Van Zant family has turn out to be a celebrated leisure family, similar to the Jacksons or the Osmonds.
Johnny Van Zant has reflected on the positive memories of his legendary older brother, although he was most effective a youngster when Ronnie Van Zant passed away. Van Zant particularly recalls the last day he spent time with his brother.
"The last day I spent with him, Donnie was there too, just being out there at his house. He really had his stuff together right before he passed away. We'd gone out there to do a People magazine interview. That was a special day for me", Johnny Van Zant mentioned in an interview consistent with Society of Rock.
Ronnie Van Zant's tale is tragic, alternatively he's fondly remembered by means of friends and family. This perhaps is his greatest legacy.
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