THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 2, 1995 TAG: 9503300195
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
A member of Southern rock 'n' roll royalty is coming to the Outer Banks. His name is Jimmie Van Zant.
Jimmie is the first cousin of the late Ronnie Van Zant, the founder, leader, and - many feel - the true spirit of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ronnie Van Zant, along with band members Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines, died in an airplane crash in 1977.
The Van Zants are from the Jacksonville, Fla., area. Ronnie's brother Johnny now sings with the reformed Lynyrd Skynard. (The band takes its name from a high school gym teacher, Leonard Skinner, who had Gaines and Ronnie expelled from school for having long hair.)
Another of Ronnie's brothers, Donnie, starred in the Southern rock 'n' roll band, .38 Special.
With that kind of heritage, Jimmie has spent the last 10 years trying to find his place, not wanting to just cash in on the ``Skynyrd'' and Van Zant name. He played in a number of Top-40 lounge bands, purposely avoiding the brand of rock 'n' roll played by his cousins.
He left his home in Jacksonville several years ago and moved to Las Vegas to get a ``fresh start.'' His plan was to move to Los Angeles. But as fate would have it, he bumped into a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band called Southwynd.
The event would change him. Hearing a band play Skynard's material, Van Zant knew there was no way he could fight genetics. Their music was a part of him.
When Southwynd broke up, Van Zant and four of the players became the Jimmie Van Zant Band. It was then Van Zant not only acknowledged his heritage, but embraced it.
His band plays most of Skynard's classics: ``Sweet Home Alabama,'' ``Free Bird'' and ``Gimme Three Steps.'' The band's renditions are faithful to the originals.
Jimmie grew up in the Skynyrd environment in Jacksonville, often sitting in with his cousins in the early days. He heard his cousin Ronnie growl his way through renditions of ``Satisfaction,'' ``Day Tripper'' and dozens of other Top-40 hits in pre-Skynryd bands called Noble Five, Pretty Ones and One Per Cent.
Many who have heard Van Zant's band say Jimmie's voice is ``eerily'' close to Ronnie's, even more so than either of Ronnie's brothers.
Roger McGarvie, Damon Wood and M. Richardson Burdett lead the same triple guitar assault on the country-blues-rock favored by the original Lynyrd Skynyrd. Terry Lynn is the drummer.
The band is looking for a record deal, but in the meantime Van Zant is comfortable with his place in music, and in life.
``I feel we were put on earth for a reason,'' Van Zant says. ``My reason is to play music, whether it's mine or my family's.''
The Jimmie Van Zant Band serves up Southern rock, fried just right. MEMO: WHAT & WHEN
Who: Jimmie Van Zant Band
Where: Port O' Call Restaurant and Gaslight Saloon, Milepost 8, N.C.
Route 12
When: April 7-8
For more information: 441-7484 ILLUSTRATION: Photo
The Jimmie Van Zant Band was formed by a cousin of the late Ronnie
Van Zant, Lynyrd Skynyrd's founder.
by CNB