Of course, a plane crash is a shocking tragedy that no one can see coming, but Ronnie Van Zant did have an eerie premonition that he was not long for this world. Ronnie aspired to be many things before finding his love for music. Ronnie Van Zant has died on Oct 20, 1977 ( age 29). Born: January 15, 1948: Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida, United States: Height: 5'11" (1.80m) Spouse: . January 15, 1948 in Jacksonville, FL. Biography, Net Worth, Gossips, Salary, News & Much More. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Ronnie Van Zant was born on January 15, 1948. Van Zant had been a paternalistic figure in the band, the clear leader of the group. In fact, he would say that he was going to be the most famous person to come out of Jacksonville since Lee Roy Yarbrough. The roots of Skynyrd had been sown in 1964, when singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarists Allen Collins and Gary Rossington and original drummer Bob Burns had met at a baseball game in Jacksonville and decided to form a band. They had 2 children. Lyricist, vocalist, and founding member of the southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, the group that released classic hits like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird." He and Gary Rossington were bandmates in Lynyrd Skynyrd. Bandmates Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray were also killed. Things didn't work out as well as he had hoped, so he put together a band of his own, My Backyard, with Bob Burns, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, and Larry Junstrom. Is anyone closer than 19 degrees from Ronnie van Zant? Ronnie Van Zant was born in Jacksonville, FL on January 15, 1948. His body was relocated after vandals broke into his tomb and that of bandmate Steve Gaines on June 29, 2000. A Team member will check on the profile Tuesday and make changes as necessary. An error has occured while loading the map. Both his current resting place and the empty mausoleum in Orange Park are listed, with the statement: "Due to the June 29th, 2000 vandalization of his original grave site, his casket was moved to this new location and buried in a massive underground concrete burial vault. He was the older brother of the founder and vocalist of 38 Special, Donnie Van Zant, and of current Lynyrd Skynyrd lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant. I have pictures of my Great Grandmother that highly resemble Lacy. If it's your time to go, it's your time to go. I said, 'Why are you talking this junk?' He was the older brother of two other rock vocalists, Donnie Van Zant, the founding member of 38 Special and Johnny Van Zant, the current lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd. During his second marriage to Judy, Melody Van Zant (his second daughter) was born. Both his current resting place and the empty mausoleum in Orange Park are listed. Lynyrd Skynyrd's biggest hit single was "Sweet Home Alabama" from their follow-up album Second Helping, an answer to Neil Young's "Alabama" and "Southern Man." Check back often as we will continue to update this page with new relationship details. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Per Rolling Stone, the surviving members of the band weren't immediately told about Van Zant's death to allow them to heal from their grave injuries before hearing the devastating news.Van Zant was buried in Jacksonville, Florida, with his signature Texas Hatters hat and his favorite fishing pole (via . AsEncyclopedia Britannicaexplains, the principal members of the band consisted of Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson, and Artimus Pyle. They quickly skyrocketed in fame and began touring lending some inspiration to the filmAlmost Famous along the way. Fortunately, there was a piano and a guitar in the young VanZant's home that he could practice on. His two brothers also became notable Southern rock musicians: Donnie Van Zant was a member of fellow Jacksonville band 38 Special, while Johnny became lead singer for the reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987. I found the connection, Ronnie and I are 4th cousins, once removed. The late, great Ronnie Van Zant was born this day in 1948. The name stuck. , money, salary, income, and assets. The original bands influence and talent lives on in rock legend even as the band has brought renewed scrutiny for their relationship with Confederate symbolism. [3] He had several siblings including two younger brothers who also became noted rock vocalists. He co-foun. My Great Grandmother was a Jarrell, in Jones county Georgia. in Jacksonville, Florida, USA , United States, Died on October 20, 1977 As a child, he played American Legion baseball and aspired for AA league baseball, as he recalled in a 1975 interview. Notably, Ronnie was interested in becoming a boxer (as Muhammad Ali was one of his idols) and in playing professional baseball. Ronald Wyane "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. Ronnie Van Zant was born in Jacksonville, FL on January 15, 1948. Many thought this to be because he was horribly disfigured or even decapitated during the 1977 plane crash. The guys signed, and VanZant was on his way into rock history. He is the middle of three sons; his older brother Ronnie was the original lead singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd who died in a 1977 plane crash in Mississippi, and his younger brother Johnny has been the lead singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd since 1987. He was killed in a plane crash on October 20, 1977. October 20, 1977 in Gillsburg, MS. Genre. Youngs song "Powderfinger" on the 1979 album Rust Never Sleeps was reportedly written for Skynyrd, and Van Zant is pictured on the cover of Street Survivors wearing a T-shirt of Youngs Tonights the Night. Discover Ronnie Van Zant's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. in Gillsburg, Mississippi, USA, This form allows you to report an error or to submit additional information about this family tree: Ronnie VAN ZANT (1948), Copyright Wikipdia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0. How old was Ronnie Van Zant at death? [5]. A 1977 plane crash killed Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines. I been told all my life that somehow I was related to Ronnie. Ifs. To open the vault would require a tractor with a lift capacity of several tons. escape(document.referrer)+((typeof(screen)=='undefined')? They soon formed what would become Lynyrd Skynyrd. If prisons, freight trains, swamps, and gators don't get ya to write songs, man, y'ain't got no business writin' songs. [10] Following the vandalization of his original grave site, he was reinterred at Riverside Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Skynyrd guitarist Ed King, who co-wrote "Sweet Home Alabama" with Van Zant, once said "If you want to know what Ronnie was really like, just listen to any six songs he wrote, doesn't matter which six. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. She had decided to follow her father's steps into music, but her tragic fate didn't let her complete her future projects. He married Judy Seymour in 1972. One of the writers is a big Lynyrd Skynyrd fan. In 1973, the group released their first album. Ronnie Van Zant (1948 - 1977), born on Woodcrest Street in Westside Jacksonville, was the frontman and founder of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Older brother of Donnie Van Zant and Johnny Van Zant and cousin of Jimmie Van Zant . When the plane crashed, Ronnie Van Zant instantly died due to blunt force trauma to his head. On: July 7, 2022. I enjoy creating and spreading knowledgeable content for everyone around the world and try my best not to leave even the smallest of mistakes go unnoticed. Other times, it just kind of happens when no one is looking. Ronald Wayne Van Zant was born January 15, 1948 in Jacksonville, Florida to Marion and Lacy Van Zant. Ronnie Van Zant's net worth Their mausoleums at Orange Park remain as memorials for fans to visit. It is also patrolled by security. Before joining the band, she was an original cast member of a school play titled 'Hairspray.' Shortly after performing in the play, she was approached by singer JoJo Billingsley, who was sent by Ronnie Van Zant, the band head and lead vocalist of . By 1970, Lynyrd Skynyrd had recorded a demo and was even offered a contract by the Capricorn Records label. While the band was busy jammin' new riffs in the Hell . "To me, there's nothing freer than a bird, you know, just flying wherever he wants to go. He is one of the Richest Rock Singer who was born in FL. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, the son of E. C. Van Zant who was the cousin of musicians Donnie, Johnny, and Ronnie Van Zant. 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. On June 29 2000, his grave was vandalized, this prompted his family to move his remains to an unknown location. Ronnie was found in his seat and seatbelt fastened. document.write('