Ronnie Van Zant

Born: 1948-01-15

He was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. Van Zant aspired to be many things before finding his love for music. Notably, Ronnie was interested in becoming a boxer(as Muhammad Ali was one of his idols) and in playing professional baseball. Ronnie also tossed around the idea of becoming a stock car racer. He would say that he was going to be the most famous person to come out of Jacksonville since stock car racer Lee Roy Yarbrough. Van Zant formed Skynyrd 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 is a mock tribute to a gym teacher the boys had in high school, Leonard Skinner, who disapproved of male students with long hair. The band's national exposure began in 1973 with the release of their debut album, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), which has a string of hits and fan favorites including: "I Ain't the One", "Tuesday's Gone", "Gimme Three Steps", "Simple Man," and their signature song, "Free Bird", which he later dedicated to the late Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. Van Zant died on October 8, 1977 from a plane crash that killed bandmate Steve Gains among other people part of the band. Other band members  (Collins, Rossington, Wilkeson, Powell, Pyle, and Hawkins), tour manager Ron Eckerman, and road crew suffered serious injuries.


Placeholder

Lynyrd Skynyrd: One More For The Fans

as Self (Archive)
Released: 2015-07-31

On November 122014, an extraordinary collection of artists came together at the Fox Theatre in...

Movie page

If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd

as Himself (archive footage)
Released: 2018-03-13

The story of Lynyrd Skynyrd; The Greatest American Rock Band Ever. We fly beyond Free Bird to...

Movie page

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live at Knebworth '76

as Self
Released: 2021-04-09

On August 21st, 1976, Lynyrd Skynyrd took the stage at Knebworth Park in England as part of a...

Movie page

Gone with the Wind: The Remarkable Rise and Tragic Fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd

as Himself
Released: 2015-10-16

This music documentary tracks the meteoric rise of classic rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as the...

Movie page

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live at Winterland 1976

as himself
Released: 1976-03-04

Lynyrd Skynyrd took to the stage at Winterland Arena in San Francisco, CA on March 7th, 1976,...

Movie page

Freebird: The Movie

as Himself
Released: 1996-01-01

See classic live performances, interviews and vintage footage of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd band.

Movie page

Lynyrd Skynyrd: The Old Grey Whistle Test

as Himself
Released: 1975-01-01

Bob Harris presents a concert by the southern rockers, recorded in Shepherd's Bush, London for...

Movie page

Lynyrd Skynyrd : Live at Winterland 1975

as himself
Released: 1975-04-27

By the time Lynyrd Skynyrd played this sold-out show at San Francisco's Winterland ballroom on...

Movie page