why did donnie van zant leave 38 special why did donnie van zant leave 38 special

Tom Petty came from down the road (in Gainesville). Guitarist Hughie Thomasson died from a heart attack in 2007. He was a writer, a co-producer with me. Van Zant was buried in Orange Park, Florida, in 1977, but . This leaves Don Barnes as the only original member, although Barnes was absent from the band from 1987 until 1992. In 1998, they came together again as Van Zant, and recorded two albums. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Nevertheless, Junstrom played a crucial role in Skynyrds early evolution. The singer was arrested moments after the band wrapped up a Wednesday night concert in Tulsa. It`s been nearly a year since 38 Special`s last album came out, and the band did intend to perform here long before now. His older brother, Ronnie, the original frontman of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died in a plane crash 40 years ago. And what was the other part of your question? Just before the record's release, bassist Ken Lyons decided to leave the band. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He was with the band when it underwent a series of name changes from My Backyard, to The Noble Five. This article about a United States rock singer is a stub. A plane crash killed the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1977, and 40 years later, the drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Artimus Pyle, can still remember that day. The brothers put out a pair of hit country records in 2005 and '07 as Van Zant and are reportedly . The couple had a daughter, Tammy (born 1967), before divorcing in 1969. . Its then, Barnes offers what he says is new insight on what makes 38 Special songs, well, special. Is anyone from Lynyrd Skynyrd still alive? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved dokken, review 38 Special are that its effective in a self-defense capacity in service-size pistols. Some of the lyrics include: "He stands up for what he believes./So don't come . The two flawlessly combined styles to become one massive drumming machine. "Second Chance" (taken from Rock & Roll Strategy) was a No. Donnie and Johnny also perform together from time to time as the group Van Zant. heavy metal .38 Special, which had formed three years before, drew its name from an early incident in which the original members of the band were rehearsing in a warehouse and drawing the ire of some nearby residents who subsequently called the police to complain about the noise. [2], They are best known for their early 1980s hit singles "Hold On Loosely" and "Caught Up in You", along with other Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1980s and early 1990s, including Rockin' into the Night, "You Keep Runnin' Away", "If I'd Been the One", "Back Where You Belong", "Teacher, Teacher", "Like No Other Night", "Second Chance", and "The Sound of Your Voice". If theres something with more stability to fall back on, go for that, because there are no guarantees (in the music business). Its a Max Carl (former 38 Special keyboardist/singer) song, and our (current) keyboard player Bobby Capps sings Second Chance and I think his voice sounds great on it. By 1974, they decided it was time to get serious and form "the ultimate band" that would be their "one last shot" at success. Launch Radio Networks has issued the following report from Bruce Simon. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Hold On Loosely. 38 Special only produces 264 foot-pounds of force (147-grain bullet at 900 feet per second out of a 4-inch barrel), while standard pressure 9mm can produce 365 foot-pounds of force (124-grain bullet at 1,150 feet per second). With those kinds of numbers, fans might not want to miss this rare visit. The thing about Jacksonville is it was a Navy city. And you do it so long, you get cocky and you start thinking, Well, I can write my own songs. Well, thats when you go starve for the next 10 years. its a simple little thing, Barnes says. He was replaced by their friend and original Lynyrd Skynyrd member Larry Junstrom. "Not knowing who this guy was, our stage manager came flying across the stage and tackled this guy, and before you know it there were all types of plainclothes cops flashing badges and everything.". Richard Donald Barnes (born December 3, 1952) is an American rock vocalist and guitarist and one of the founding members of the Southern rock band 38 Special. Donnie Van Zant is a founding member of .38 Special and retired from live performances in 2013. We get to talking about why 38 Special's signature hits, "Hold On Loosely, "Caught Up In You" and "Rockin' Into The Night," just seem to pop a little extra on FM radio. Mike-February 12, 2023. "He grew up in Shantytown [the rough and tumble West Side of Jacksonville]. Wed get off tour after nine months of promoting a record, and we were contractually obligated to have another album out in five months. BIOG: NAME: 2023 www.oklahoman.com. When he was young Steven took the last name of his stepfather. His older brother, Ronnie, the original frontman of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died in a plane crash 40 years ago. In three decades of making and performing rock music, the band has sold more than 20 million copies of their albums. 38 Special. You have to work toward that deadline all the time. 38 Special in 1975 with Jeff Carlisi (guitar), Don Barnes (guitar, vocals), Ken Lyons (bass), Jack Grondin (drums), and Steve Brookins (drums). Van Zant: I appreciate things more. http://ultimateclassicrock.com/johnny-van-zant-recovering/. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Sung by 38's guitarist Don Barnes (who would sing lead vocals on all of the band's hits through 1987), the tune became their first song to receive national airplay, peaking at No. classic rock 38 Special performs May 14 in Huntsville, Ala. at the 3rd Rock outdoor stage at Von Braun Center, address 700 Monroe St. Molly Hatchet opens the 7 p.m. show. Van Zant is one of three famous singing brothers. Born In: Jacksonville, Florida, United States, siblings: Johnny Van Zant, Ronnie Van Zant, See the events in life of Donnie Van Zant in Chronological Order. Van Zant is one of three famous singing brothers. There are rock stations that will play you. But 38 Special singer/guitarist Don Barnes says this isnt one of those. Tag: why did donnie van zant leave 38 special. When youre younger, you have a little bit of this this competitive spirit, where you dont like that somebody else does something, or are they better than you. Still, the band soldiered on, and unfortunately, they lost more bandmates. Since 2019, the bands lineup has consisted of Don Barnes, keyboardist/vocalist Bobby Capps, drummer Gary Moffatt, Dunaway, and guitarist Jerry Riggs. The youngest brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd founder Ronnie Van Zant and .38 Special's Donnie Van Zant, Johnny Van Zant grew up in the shadow of his older siblings, who emerged as major figures in rock & roll during the early and mid-'70s.The death of Ronnie Van Zant and other key members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup in a plane crash on October 20, 1977 eventually put Johnny in the position of being . Popular Donnie Van Zant songs. Ron DeSantis, and debuted the song on the . Rossington, Van Zandt, and Collins were the only founding members left in the band. Johnny Van Zant is currently the lead singer of the Lynyrd Skynyrd , while Donnie became the lead vocalist of 38 Special. Rudge quickly set the group up to open shows for red-hot acts, like Peter Frampton, Foghat and Kiss, and got them signed to A&M Records, who assigned Dan Hartman (of Edgar Winter Group fame) to produce their first album, .38 Special, which was released in May 1977.[4]. Carlisi left Sweet Rooster after graduating high school to study architecture at Georgia Tech and was replaced by Don Barnes in 1970. Donald Newton "Donnie" Van Zant is an American rock vocalist/guitarist. What happens to atoms during chemical reaction? [4], This paved the way for their platinum-selling fourth record, Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (January 1981), and its bigger hit "Hold On Loosely" (which reached No. By 1987, Don Barnes had decided to leave the band to go out on his own. The founding member and lead guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gary Rossington is the richest member of the band with his net worth of $40 million. The song climbed to No. Max Carl is a great guy. Van Zant has a history with the show. Also in 1977, the band added two female backup singers, Carol Bristow and Dale Krantz. He and his brother, former .38 Special singer Donnie Van Zant, wrote a song in support of DeSantis' election campaign last year. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. "Apparently there's this ordinance about drinking in public, but they just didn't make anybody aware of it," Carlisi lamented. 33 on the Mainstream Rock chart in 1997. I mean, (retired 38 Special singer) Donnie Van Zant (brother of Skynyrds Ronnie Van Zant t, and I started the group together and unfortunately, hes got COVID right now hes battling that hes okay. The classic songs shine in an enhanced live fashion with the band finally able to deliver the live 38 Special concert experience. The virtues of the . They progressed from new kids on the block to the elder statesmen of southern rock after most other major groups disbanded (and then staged comebacks). "It was a good show," Carlisi said. Barnes, a cofounder, is the only original member still in the band. However, they again took a break after 2001. His second son, Donnie, has been the lead singer of . He married Judy Seymour in 1972 after meeting her at The Comic Book Club through Gary Rossington in 1969. Van Zant released their new song Sweet Florida which highlights the leadership of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. They released two more albums with Columbia Records, this time. He was . Halfway through its second decade, 38 Special also weathered the departure of two veteran players and the addition of Carl and Chauncey to the lineup of original members Van Zant (younger. All rights reserved (About Us). And they had good. 4 on the Billboard Top Tracks Chart, spending ten weeks on the chart. Lowell Fulson, Saturday at B.L.U.E.S. Published Apr 7, 2016. It claimed a victim in 38 Special's Donnie Van Zant, who was forced to quit music a few years ago because of the damage it was doing to his ears. But then the classic rock stations, theyll play all the old songs but they wont play new music by the classic rock artists. [citation needed], Since 1997's Resolution, two more releases have followed on the CMC International and Sanctuary Records labels, respectively A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night (September 2001) and Drivetrain (July 2004). Donnie Van Zant walking on with his old band, .38 Special, Saturday night in Orange Park may have been the worst kept secret since Nick Foles got his job back, but it was a welcome sight. Who Can Benefit From Diaphragmatic Breathing? Why did Donnie Van Zant retire from 38 Special? What are the physical state of oxygen at room temperature? We wrote it in about two hours. Ronnies brother, Johnny, joined the band as the lead vocalist, but for years he refused to sing the bands signature song. classic rock In accordance with his doctor's strict orders and due to health issues related to inner-ear nerve damage, he will not be able to join 38 Special onstage in the foreseeable future. Forming in 1975, guitarist Don Barnes and singer Donnie Van Zant come together and start the band. Donnie Van Zant, Soundtrack: Daria. He was 59. Youve got to be 50 feet tall, almost a character, you know? However, Second Chance, became the bands biggest hit of their career. Why did Donnie Van Zant leave 38 special? 24-7 Spyz, Saturday at Cabaret Metro: These young funk-rockers have yet to prove they have the creativity and staying power of their obvious models, Living Colour. The group will continue on in his absence, as they've done in the past, with singer-guitarist Don Barnes handling all lead vocals. They were on our record label A&M and when youre on a label your label mates you get introduced and everything. .38 Special, which had formed three years before, drew its name from an early incident in which the original members of the band were rehearsing in a warehouse and drawing the ire of some nearby residents who subsequently called the police to complain about the noise. Willing to lend a hand and stick by his bandmates, he was hard to beat when standing by your side. Two years later, the band signed with A&M Records and released its eponymous debut. Halfway through its second decade, 38 Special also weathered the departure of two veteran players and the addition of Carl and Chauncey to the lineup of original members Van Zant (younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd`s Ronnie Van Zant), Jack Grondin, Jeff Carlisi and Larry Junstrom. 2. " Aside from legal problems, though, things couldn't be going better for the Jacksonville sextet, which is finally shedding its "southern boogie, son-of-Lynyrd Skynyrd" image, and enjoying its new success. He lives there with his wife Ashley Van Zant. His first son, Ronnie, was the leader of Lynyrd Skynyrd until a plane crash killed him in 1977. Donnie and his brothers were always motivated by their father, who wanted them to pursue music which they eventually did. "I don't care," Van Zant said. Until 2013, he remained as one of the most loyal members of the band. You get an early education on song structures, how those things work and where the payoff is. Donnie Van Zant is an actor and composer, known for Daria (1997), CMT Insider (2004) and Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live at Freedom Hall (2008). Carl was also lead singer on "The Sound of Your Voice" (Billboard Hot 100 No. But Im a Christian, and Im a true believer that theres a heaven above and I will see her again. The group's first two albums Formed in 1993, when Brock, Judy and drummer Jeremiah Green were in high school, Modest Mouse gave its early songs a distinctive, slippery musicality. [10], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 20:12, Learn how and when to remove this template message, .38 Special's Don Barnes talks Hold on Loosely, "Hank Jr., Skynyrd Getting Rowdy On Spring Tour", "STYX, REO SPEEDWAGON, .38 SPECIAL Team Up For Can't Stop Rockin' 2009 US Tour", "Kenneth Lyons, 59, of Mount Sinai Road dies in Winston-Salem", "Lynyrd Skynyrd founder Larry Junstrom dead at 70", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=38_Special_(band)&oldid=1139766579, Gary "Madman" Moffatt drums, percussion, Paul Drennan (Drennen) bass, backing vocals, Steve McRay keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals, Don Barnes guitar, mandolin, keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals, Don Barnes lead vocals, guitar, mandolin, keyboards, harmonica, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 20:12. In accordance with his doctor's strict orders and due to health issues related to inner-ear nerve damage, he will not be able to join 38 Special onstage in the foreseeable future. It's become tradition with the Florida-based rock 'n' roll band that Van Zant offer a toast to the audience with a bottle of whiskey. He Believes Tragedy Makes People Better. Carl`s fresh perspective on the South, reflected in songs the native Nebraskan wrote for the last album, also helped the band find new inspiration in its old musical roots. But the band found themselves without a home after Charisma folded in 1992. We get to talking about why 38 Specials signature hits, Hold On Loosely, Caught Up In You and Rockin Into The Night, just seem to pop a little extra on FM radio. delain, review Johnny Van Zant became Lynyrd Skynyrd's lead vocalist when the band reunited in the late 80s. His younger brother, Jhonny, is now the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Well let this .38 special do the talking, and dispensed with the lock in the most efficient manner possible. 33 in 1991) from Bone Against Steel (July 1991), which saw the group moving from A&M to the British label Charisma Records. The extraordinary energy that the members of the band emit in their shows has connected really well with their fans. Why did you need two drummers? Why did Steven Van Zandt change his name? 38 Specials current lineup also boasts guitarist Jerry Riggs (a former Pat Travers Band musician whose fretwork also featured in two songs in cult-fave 1981 animated fantasy film Heavy Metal), keyboardist Bobby Capps, bassist Barry Dunaway and drummer Gary Moffatt. 38 Special. College Lifestyle . He is the younger brother of Ronnie Van Zant, the co-founder and former lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)Amy Harris/Invision/AP. The main thing I remember about that was Ronnie talking with all of them and he brought the drummer, Eddie Van Halen's brother (Alex Van Halen) to our dressing room. [5], Now that they had their name, the group spent most of 1975 and 1976 playing a steady grind of one-nighters, mostly in the South and the Midwest. One of the cops said, "That's all right. Lee Zimmerman is a writer and columnist based in beautiful Maryville Tennessee. Donnie, along with his younger brother, Johnny, also performs as Van Zant. The band announced the death in a post on Facebook, where his name was trending early Friday. After he joined, Junstrom would play an ongoing role in the bands success, including the recording of such hit singles as Hold On Loosely and Caught Up InYou before he was forced to leave the band in 2014 due to a hand injury that later required surgery. After thirty-nine years of being led by one of the Van Zant brothers, 38 Special were left in the more than capable hands of Don Barnes, who has been guiding them from show to show ever since. 38 Special is a rock band in America that was originally formed in 1974 by two neighborhood buddies, Donnie Van Zant and Don Barnes. But yeah, Jeff started a camp for a rock camp for kids, and its really successful. Mettler: That's what I liked about the records you guys made back in the day. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Johnny Van Zant is currently the lead singer of the Lynyrd Skynyrd, while Donnie became the lead vocalist of 38 Special. His trial is set for July 1. According to a message posted to the .38 Special mailing list, "Donnie sends . "Ronnie's meanness, they all have it," remembers Jeff Carlisi, a neighbour of the Van Zants, and bandmate of Ronnie's younger brother, Donnie Van Zant, in .38 Special. The cause was lung cancer, said Ray Costa, a spokesman for the band. According to a message posted to the .38 Special mailing list, "Donnie sends his thanks for your thoughts and prayers, and is already chomping at the bit wanting to get out there and perform for everyone.". Why was that city such a hotbed for Southern rock? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved Neighborhood friends Don Barnes and Donnie Van Zant decided to form a band in 1974 and called it .38 Special, and were joined by Jack Grondin, Steve Brookins, Jeff Carlisi and Ken Lyons. [citation needed], In 1984 38 Special toured with the up-and-coming Huey Lewis and the News, who were just breaking huge with their Sports album, and in 1986 they shared the bill with the soon-to-be-platinum-selling hard rock band, Bon Jovi. Following the deaths of Ronnie and fellow bandmates Steve and Cassie Gaines in the plane crash of 1977, the band took a break before reuniting in 1987. It was decided and later, announced that Donnie wont be able to sing for the band, at least for time being, but he would be writing songs for the band. Celebrities admin-Editor Picks. so everything is just linear, but it had a great message. He said he was approached by someone on the governor's staff and asked to help with the campaign. We played all covers, radio hits of the day. Hailing from the southern rock capital of the world . Barnes sang lead on many 38 Special hits, including the aforementioned triptych. Ronald Wayne Van Zant was an American musician who became known as the lead singer, main lyricist, and founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Nevertheless, the name served its purpose and the group became a top draw throughout the 80s and 90s. The duo recorded their first song in 1980s for Van Zant. Hes back home, touch of pneumonia from it. Anything like that. Over the past 20 years, his work has appeared in dozens of leading music publications. ''People have said that to us innocently-`Break a leg!`-and everybody in the band just glares at them. With their come back in 2005, Van Zant started focusing more on country music. Eventually, big brother Ronnie figured Donnie and the gang had paid enough dues and set them up with Skynryd's manager Peter Rudge, who also handled the Who and was tour manager for the Rolling Stones. The Young Rascals, Santana, Three Dog Night, all those things. Hold On Loosely has that click. You learn, tweak this and get rid of this part and you see what works with people. And we realized what had been done already by the best - you had the Allman Brothers, Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker, Charlie Daniels,all that stuff back then. 38 S&W uses a shorter, and slightly fatter, case that will usually not chamber in a . In accordance with his doctor's strict orders and due to health issues related to inner-ear nerve damage, he will not be able to join 38 Special onstage in the foreseeable future. 4 Why did Donnie Van Zant leave 38 Special? I asked Duane why he wanted two drummers and he said, Because James Brown has two, said Jaimoe. That album had a lot of great rock songs. 27 in 1981).[4]. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. [citation needed]. [citation needed], In October 1977 Ronnie Van Zant was killed when Skynyrd's plane crashed. But the upside is there are all the streaming things, YouTube, Spotify. LifeStyle How to wake up happy and motivated. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". A curious Steven Van Zandt received quite the shock along with his results from a recent DNA test. An interesting story behind the band name if not familiar. Ronnie and two other band members died in a plane crash. By 1987, Don Barnes had decided to leave the band to go out on his own. And if youre really dedicated Ive always felt like if somethings great, itll find its way. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Its like a book publishing thing. The country musician and former lead singer of the rock band 38 Special, Donnie is the brother of Ronald Ronnie Van Zantthe lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who was killed in a plane crash. Release: August 31. In accordance with his doctor's strict orders and due to health issues related to inner-ear nerve damage, he will not be able to join 38 Special onstage in the foreseeable future. On this Jeff Carlisi interview, he went VERY deep, talking about the serendipity of the recession which made getting a job as an architect impossible - so he. And so that couplet turned into a great piece of advice. And Dan Huff, a killer guitar player whos a titan of a (record) producer in the industry now. All those people in north Florida, we all probably owe our careers to the Navy. Ronnie Van Zant's bandmates were anxious as they prepared to board their leased plane at Greenville, South Carolina's Downtown Airport on the afternoon of October 20th, 1977. [4] That same year, Bobby Capps came aboard as keyboardist/co-singer and drummer Scott Meeder replaced Jack Grondin after the latter decided to leave the music business. All Rights Reserved. Around the 80s, Donnie and his younger brother, Johnny, decided to become a musical duo Van Zant. However, it was announced later in 2013 that he had officially left 38 Special, and was retiring.[1]. Joe Jackson, Sunday at the Chicago Theatre: Jackson`s current show is a 2 1/2-hour extravaganza featuring a 10-piece band and a set list ranging from R& B-flavored early hits to material from the impressive new ''Blaze of Glory'' album. Donnie's older brother Ronnie was lead singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, a position now held by their youngest brother Johnny Van Zant. Larry Junstrom and Gary Rossington are the only two original band members left alive. [8], In 2012 original bassist Ken Lyons died at age 59. "It got to that point in the show where Donnie toasted the crowd with a bottle of Jack Daniels," Carlisi recounted. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 38 Special (sometimes stylized as .38 Special) is an American rock band that was formed by neighborhood friends Don Barnes and Donnie Van Zant in 1974 in Jacksonville, Florida. Hes been gone about 25 years now - people just move on. Hearing loss is the silent destroyer of rock. They are two different rounds and are not interchangeable. why platonic relationships don't work; h e b shortbread cookies; hotels on east 44th street nyc; what happened to duncan on amanda to the rescue; william brewster van zandt. ''There are other influences in (38 Special) now, but there will still be songs culled from experiences in the South,'' Carl said. classic rock Don Felder, the Eagles guy, he was from Gainesville. In the bands current setlist, theres a hit from when you were out of the lineup, Second Chance. Whats it like performing a song from a period you werent in the band? Yeah, we are in touch. [Laughs] But you make all your mistakes in public. "It's about damn time," Carlisi said of the group's "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" album, which has achieved platinum status. Sixties Flashback, Friday at Ravinia: This seems a typical oldies package-Peter Noone, Gary Puckett, Mitch Ryder, Martha Reeves-until you get to Alex Chilton. After Burnss death over the weekend, Rossington said he was at a loss for words.. Tickets are $55 and up via ticketmaster.com or the VBC Box Office. Below are edited excerpts from our interview. Why did Donnie Van Zant leave 38 Special? "You Keep Runnin' Away" (August 1982) and "Back Where You Belong" (February 1984) continued the sequence of hit radio favorites. However, in 2013 it was announced by the members of the band that due to health issues, Van wasnt able to perform for six months, and might not be able to perform with the band in future as well. Everybody from (Skynyrd frontman) Ronnie Van Zant to Duane and Gregg Allman played those clubs. Their Gold and Platinum albums have won countless awards and honours. Why do the Grateful Dead have two drummers? We went on the radio afterwards and explained to everybody what happened. When did 38 Special get caught up? It has to do with how he and classic-era guitarist Jeff Carlisi held their guitar picks, those coin-sized triangular plastic objects musicians often use to strum across their guitar strings. Danny Carmassi from the band Heart played drums on a few tracks. The group will continue on in his absence, as they've done in the past, with singer-guitarist Don Barnes handling all lead vocals. Jimmie Van Zant, the singer/songwriter and guitarist who was cousin to Lynyrd Skynyrd members Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant, as well as .38 Special founder and vocalist Donnie . Formed in Jacksonville, Fla. around 1974, 38 Special hit their stride in the late 70s/early 80s, by updating anthemic Southern-rock with hard-rock heat. In two thousand and thirteen after being diagnosed with inner ear nerve damage, Donnie Van Zan was forced to retire and leave 38 Special. Whats your advice to young bands now trying to reach bigger audiences? Same look, same attitude, same sound and 38s lead singer Donnie Van Zant was actually the younger brother of Ronnie Van Zant, the enigmatic frontman for the very successful Skynyrd. 38 Special broke through in 1979 with the bands third album, Rockin Into The Night. There were a lot of notable rock albums released that year, including Tom Petty Damn the Torpedoes, Fleetwood Mask Tusk, The Clash London Calling, Van Halen II, The Police Regatta de Blanc, AC/DC Highway to Hell. Back then were you into any of those albums and bands? Required fields are marked *.