70 years ago today (1/15/48), Ronnie Van Zant, vocalist with Lynyrd Skynyrd and was the signature vocalist of southern rock was born. Skynyrd catapulted to huge mainstream success in the mid 70’s with a barrage of honky-tonk rock hits that gelled over the band’s three-guitar attack. Van Zant died in a plane crash between shows from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana on October 20th, 1977 along with bandmates Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines. Remaining band members survived, although all were seriously injured. Watch Van Zant perform “Tuesday’s Gone” with Skynyrd in ’76.
