No rock ‘n’ roll band met as much adversity head-on as Jacksonville’s Lynyrd Skynyrd. When the musicians’ private plane crashed in a Mississippi swamp in 1977, singer, songwriter, frontman and bandleader Ronnie Van Zant, along with several others, died instantly. That awful event left five band members badly injured but alive.
Also killed was Lynyrd Skynyrd’s meteoric momentum.
A sinewy blend of electric blues, British rock and fiery southern grit, the band’s music spotlit three exceptional lead guitarists, piano, bass and drums. And an enigmatic singer. Although the music was heavy, it was not as riff-reliant as other practitioners of so-called Southern Rock were laying down. Van Zant was a gifted songwriter. And Lynyrd Skynyrd was a well-oiled musical machine.
Lynyrd Skynyrd still exists and will be onstage Saturday, July 18 at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre.
Guitarist Gary Rossington, the last surviving founding member of the band, died in 2023. Which means that the 2026 version of Lynyrd Skynyrd does not include a single original member.
Johnny Van Zant is well aware of this fact, but does he care? He does not.
Called upon in 1987 to front the band for a one-off reunion show with the survivors, Ronnie’s younger brother has been singing those classic songs, virtually without pause, for close to 40 years. He’s been out in front of Skynyrd longer than his brother.
It’s all about legacy, the 66-year-old says in this interview. Keeping the flame for the music that millions of people loved then, and love now.
Loverboy opens the July 18 show. Find tickets at this link.
Ronnie’s been gone for nearly 49 years now. Every time you step up to the mic, is he with you?
Oh hell, yeah, most definitely. And I know that he’s been behind this whole process. I was a Skynyrd fan just like every Skynyrd fan out there. I loved the music and I loved what they were doing. Back in ’87, when the guys asked me to be a part of this, it actually took me a lot of soul-searching and talking to family members to step up to that mic the first time.
You come to a Skynyrd show, it’s a spiritual thing. It really is. I’m a very spiritual person. I’ve been a sinner my whole life, but I still believe! So I know he’s here with us, definitely.
As the years passed, and we lost one original guy after another, did it ever reach a point where you said ‘We should stop’?
When (keyboard player) Billy Powell passed, we were doing an album called God & Guns. There’s a song on there called “Gifted Hands.”
You gotta realize that back in ’87 these guys were all young, they all loved this music they had created, and it was taken away in one second. And to be able to bring it back and play it for people, and the fans that loved the band, was a gratifying thing for them. So as they one by one – I guess that’s the only easy way to say it – passed on, those of us who were left were going “We’re doing the right thing. This is what they loved. This is what they wanted to happen.”
Believe me, I’ve had a lot of grief over the years from people, “You’re not Ronnie. You’re just ridin’ the coattail.” No, it’s more than that to me, man. It’s friggin’ family. It’s legacy. It’s everything, you know? And I poured my life into it.
I never wanted to be in Skynyrd, man. I went to see B.B. King one time, and there was a guy who’d come out with a red Solo cup and a towel. He’d hand him whatever he was drinking in that red Solo cup. And B.B.’d wipe his face.
And I thought to myself “I coulda done that for Ronnie.”
It wasn’t that I ever wanted to be in Skynyrd, but as I grew into being a part of it, it really took a hold of me, and I’m so proud that I’ve been able to go out there and have new generations experience the music live.
Along with the older ones. Myself included!
Gary Rossington once said “Skynyrd music is bigger than me or any one person.” In other words, it’s all about serving the songs and respecting the legacy. Is that how you look at it?
I know that whenever I’m gone, and we call it quits here and everything, there’s going to be some kid skipping school, trying to learn “Sweet Home Alabama” on the guitar.
The music is honest. It’s raw, it’s honest. I think most people can relate to it. They wrote about life in general, and Ronnie was the master of it. You know what, God gave him a short time here on earth, and boy did he use it. He was way ahead of his age.
Let’s talk about Rickey Medlocke for a second. In a way, he’s a link to the past, isn’t he?
Yeah, he was there! He’s on the First and Last album, their very first album that they cut with Jimmy Johnson. He actually sang a couple of songs; his voice was real high back then.
He’s a wonderful guy. He’s been in the band a long time now, again. Me and him never look at each other and go “Let’s phone it in.” We always go “Let’s go get ‘em.” And that’s the way you should be.
Final thoughts?
You know, Skynyrd’s been through many, many hardships, should I say, but there’s been many, many great times, too. There’s nothing like being onstage going into “Simple Man” and seeing the audience, which is a mixture of ages, singing the words to those songs. Again, the words just hit home to people.
And I always tell people: If my brother could come back and say a few words, he’d say “I told you so.” That we had something.
Ronnie used to always say “Skynyrd is a live band. We’re live. We make records because we have to, but we’re a live band.” And to go see the live show is just an amazing thing.
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