Donnie Van Zant is a rocker and guitarist who is famous as the lead singer of rock band 38 Special. With a career spanning over five decades, he has achieved much as a musician from a family that has also walked the musical path. Although he was a founding member of 38 Special, the singer left the band in 2013 and decided he was retiring from music due to health issues.

Donnie Van Zant Biography

It was like Donald Newton Van Zant that Donnie was born on June 11, 1952 in Jacksonville, Florida to Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant and her husband Lacy Van Zant. He was raised alongside his two siblings. Ronnie Van Zant who is the eldest of the three and Johnny Van Zant.

Although his father was not a musician himself, he gave all the encouragement necessary for his children to have a career in rock. Interestingly, all of them succeeded, including Ronnie, who died at age 29 following a plane crash. Due to his influence, Lacy is considered by his sons to be the “Father of Southern Rock”.

For college, Donnie went to Robert E. Lee High, whose policy was strictly for boys with long hair. Although his brother and other members of Skynyrd later drop out of school because they weren’t ready to cut themselves, Donnie hides his long hair under a wig and later manages to graduate.

Like his two siblings, he started his musical career when he was still a teenager. However, it was until 1974 that he created his group with Don Barnes, who was his neighbor at the time. Jeff Carlisi, Ken Lyons (Steve Brookins) and Jack Grodin also founded the group.

Donnie remained the most consistent member of the band until 2013 when, on the advice of his doctor, he took a break from music. Previously, he worked on 12 studio albums with the band and 4 live albums, among others. More so, it has sold over 20 million copies.

On top of that, the band which is now led by Don Barnes has won numerous awards for their gold and platinum albums.

His net worth

With a career that spanned many years and through Donnie Van Zant, who brought so much fame, also did a lot in terms of fortune. He has an estimated net worth of $8 million. He made his fortune from his musical career most notably as a member of his band, 38 Special.

Donnie Van Zant’s family

Donnie grew up in a close-knit family with very supportive and supportive parents. While his mother died in 2000, he lost his father four years later in 2004.

Donnie Van Zant is a family man married to Ashley Van Zant. Many years later, the two men are still together and live at their home in Jacksonville, Florida.

Singer Facts

1. Although he is most famous as a member of 38 Special, he also performed with his younger brother, Johnny Van Zant as Van Zant. They released their first album together in 1985 and have since released four others including the hugely successful Be Fair With The Man in 2005 and My Kind of Country in 2007.

2 His brother, Ronnie was a member of the rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, which their father greatly supported. In 1977 Ronnie died in a plane crash, but other band members survived with serious injuries. 10 years later, Jhonny Van Zant became the band’s lead singer.

3. Before the death of his older brother who died at 29, he told many people, including his father, that he would not live until he was 30.

4 Donnie Van Zant was forced to retire from music due to nerve damage to his inner ear and health issues, for which his doctor had strictly advised him to take a permanent break from music. in a lot of passion and energy in.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r63Io5innaeoe6S7zGiZrrKqZL2mu8%2BlnGicn6O7qrGMr5inZaqWu7V5waKmZqaVqXqnrcyio7Jlo567qLHRZp2am6SofA%3D%3D