Ronnie Van Zant

Ronnie Van Zant was an American singer and songwriter best known as the founding lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Ronnie Van Zant was an American singer and songwriter best known as the founding lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1948 and died in a 1977 plane crash at age 29. He was the older brother of musicians Donnie and Johnny Van Zant.

Early life

Ronnie Van Zant was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on January 15, 1948. He later became involved in music in the city, and sources describe him as part of the early Jacksonville rock scene before Lynyrd Skynyrd formed.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Van Zant was a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd and became its lead vocalist. He is widely credited as the band's primary lyricist and a central figure in its rise in southern rock.

Death

Van Zant died on October 20, 1977, in the Lynyrd Skynyrd charter plane crash near Gillsburg, Mississippi. The crash also killed other band members and crew.

Legacy

Van Zant is remembered as one of the best-known voices in southern rock. He was included among the Lynyrd Skynyrd members inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.