Van+zant

2006 special collector's edition reissue for first time on CD. Signed to Polydor in the UK and A&M in the US in 1980, Johnny Van Zant teamed with legendary producer and original Skynyrd A&R man Al Kooper to cut this blistering debut album. Drawing from his southern roots and Skynyrd's fiery guitar fuelled legacy, the music is a hot burrito of fuel injected riffing (aided and abetted by twin lead guitarists Robbie Gay and Eric Lundgren) and the kind of down home back porch rocking that brings to mind the best work of Skynyrd,.38 Special, Marshall Tucker and the Allman Brothers Band. Look out for 'Standing in the Darkness' a poignant and touching tribute originally written as a poem for late brother Ronnie, surely one of the finest closing tracks on any southern rock album.

The younger brother of Ronnie (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Donnie (38 Special), Johnny sent five albums of his own to the pop charts between 1980 and 1990. Skynyrd's live soundman Kevin Elson produced Round Two, which charted in June of '81. This smokin' slab of Southern rock includes Drive My Car; Night Time Lady; Yesterday's Gone; Play My Music; Keep Our Love Alive, and more!

It's kind of spooky how things come full circle. Who would have through that Donnie and Johnny Van Zant, brothers to one of rock & roll's true icons and heirs apparent to the Lynyrd Skynyrd legacy, would find themselves in a musical climate so friendly to the excesses of Southern rock in the 21st century? As it stands, nine years after their supposed one-off debut, the pair are not only going strong, they've had all of their previous recordings reissued as DualDiscs…

The rich, lengthy, and sometimes painful history of Lynyrd Skynyrd is not only one of the true epic tales of Southern rock, but in all of rock & roll itself. The early rise to fame, the tragic loss, and eventual rebirth of the group has been well documented over and over again in the form of box sets, greatest-hits collections, and deluxe reissues. But this sampler takes the best of the best and puts it all into one disc. The greatest moments of Skynyrd's career – "Freebird," "Sweet Home Alabama," and "What's Your Name" – are all here. But what makes Family truly special is the branching out into the side projects like .38 Special, Rossington Collins Band, and Van Zant to name but a few. This might not be the most comprehensive collection available, but it is certainly one of the more enjoyable and easily accessible.

This limited Special Edition adds a second disc of bonus tracks, including live versions of J.J. Cale's "They Call Me the Breeze" and "Sweet Home Alabama." With their classic early lineup, anchored by the swagger, grit, and heart of lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, Lynyrd Skynyrd merged Allman Brothers guitars with barrelhouse piano (courtesy of keyboardist Billy Powell, a bigger part of Skynyrd's classic sound than most people realize), then tossed in a big dose of hard rock attitude and gave it all credence with a kind of blustering and cocky honky tonk sensibility. The original band just sounded so, well, right, and if its legacy in most casual listeners' minds is just "Sweet Home Alabama" and the ubiquitous "Free Bird," that's not a bad legacy to have, really.

Twenty is the ninth studio album by Lynyrd Skynyrd released in 1997. The title of the album refers to the fact that it had been twenty years since the plane crash which killed original lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines. For this album the band brought in two Southern rock veterans, Rickey Medlocke, who had been a drummer for the band briefly before forming Blackfoot, and Hughie Thomasson of the Outlaws. The track "Travelin' Man" is the first studio recording of the song from the original band's 1976 live album One More From The Road. Making use of modern technology, the band was able to use original singer Ronnie Van Zant's vocal tracks on parts of the song, in order to create a duet between Johnny and Ronnie. The Album Cover is a fictional drawing of Monument Valley on the Navajo reservation.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964 by Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass guitar) and Bob Burns (drums). It is best known for popularizing the Southern rock genre during the 1970s. Originally called My Backyard, the band was also known by names such as The Noble Five and One Percent, before finally deciding on "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in 1969. The band gained worldwide recognition for its live performances and signature songs "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". Van Zant, along with guitarist Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, were killed in an airplane crash on October 20, 1977, putting an abrupt end to the 1970s era of the band.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964 by Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass guitar) and Bob Burns (drums). It is best known for popularizing the Southern rock genre during the 1970s. Originally called My Backyard, the band was also known by names such as The Noble Five and One Percent, before finally deciding on "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in 1969. The band gained worldwide recognition for its live performances and signature songs "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". Van Zant, along with guitarist Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, were killed in an airplane crash on October 20, 1977, putting an abrupt end to the 1970s era of the band.