The 10 songs that shaped Ronnie Van Zant’s life
Florida’s finest non-mouse-related export, Lynyrd Skynyrd, was first formed in 1964. Reaching the peak of their fame in the 1970s, with the release of tracks like ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ popularising the southern rock genre, Skynyrd boasts an enduring legacy and remains one of the most popular bands to grace the airwaves.
Ronnie Van Zant first formed the group and gave them their signature sound. Tragically, Van Zant lost his life in 1977 during a plane crash, which also claimed the lives of guitarist Steve Gaines and backing singer Cassie Gaines.
Although the group reformed a decade later with Van Zant’s brother, Johnny, at the helm, they never managed to emulate the success of their earlier work. The group are still together, reportedly working on a brand new studio album without any of the original band members remaining.
Back in the 1970s, though, Skynyrd were on top of their game, selling millions of records and breaking into the Billboard Top 100 several times. Although predominantly successful in the USA, perhaps as a result of the strong lyrical ties that many of their songs had to the country, particularly the states south of the Mason-Dixon line, the group did also witness modest successes in the UK singles charts towards the end of the decade with ‘Free Bird’ and ‘Sweet Home Alabama’.
In 1974, the band embarked on their first European tour, including a set at Glasgow’s Apollo Theatre supporting Dutch rock band Golden Earring. Hoping to gain an insight into the influences of the group, a journalist for the monthly rock rag, Let It Rock, asked members of the band to write down their ten favourite songs.
Van Zant’s handwritten list features some fantastic tracks from across rock, blues, and soul, as well as a traditional Christian hymn, ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken?’. Notably, the list also features ‘I Can’t Explain’ by The Who, whom Lynyrd Skynyrd had supported in 1973 on their Quadrophenia tour, which is credited with exposing Skynrd to a much larger audience.
Despite the band often utilising imagery from the Confederate Army – the forces which fought to uphold and expand slavery during the American Civil War – Van Zant’s list also features prominent Black artists such as Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Ray Charles. Sold at auction in the US in 2015 for an estimate between $10,000 and $15,000, the handwritten list features a disclaimer, “Please note: These are not in any order of preference. They represent the ten most influential songs in my music career”.
Check out the full list below.
Ronnie Van Zant’s favourite songs:
- ‘(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay’ – Otis Redding
- ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ – The Rolling Stones
- ‘Yesterday’ – The Beatles
- ‘What’d I Say’ – Ray Charles
- ‘If We Make It Through December’ – Merle Haggard
- ‘I Can’t Explain’ – The Who
- ‘Big Boss Man’ – Jimmy Reed
- ‘Respect’ – Aretha Franklin
- ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’ – Traditional
- ‘Light My Fire’ – The Doors
