Ronnie Van Zant was born on January 15th of 1948 in Jacksonville, Florida. He is best known as the lead vocalist, lyricist, and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. His younger brothers Donnie Van Zant & Johnny Van Zant are also rock singers (Donnie with .38 Special & Johnny as the current lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd.)

He formed the band in 1964 while still in high school. The band’s name was inspired by a gym teacher that Ronnie & his classmates (and bandmates) had named Leonard Skinner. This gym teacher did not approve of students with long hair.

They released their debut album in 1973 which was titled (pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd), this album gained them national attention and reached #27 on the US album charts. It included “Tuesday’s Gone,” “Gimme Three Steps,” “Simple Man,” & “Free Bird” among it’s eight tracks. Pronounced was included at #401 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Their second album was 1974′s Second Helping which included their biggest hit song “Sweet Home Alabama” which reached #8 on the US singles charts. The album reached #12 on the US album charts. ‘

They released three more albums (in ’75, ’76, & ’77) before tragedy struck the band in 1977. In fact their 5th (and last with the original members) studio album, Street Survivors, was released on October 17th just three days before the plane wreck.

Ronnie Van Zant died on October 20, 1977 in that plane wreck which also killed two of his band mates (Steve Gaines & Cassie Gaines) along with with the band’s assistant road manager and both of the pilots. Other members of the band survived (although with serious injuries.)

“Free Bird” Live On July 4, 1977