Donnie Van Zant, the younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder and frontman Ronnie Van Zant, began playing music during his teen years, forming a band called Standard Production in 1968, which paved the way for Sweet Rooster, Donnie's first professional group that he formed in 1969 with guitarist Jeff Carlisi and bassist Ken Lyons, soon joined by drummer Steve Brookins. Carlisi left Sweet Rooster after graduating high school to study architecture at Georgia Tech and was replaced by Don Barnes in 1970. Brookins also left to work as a truck driver and Sweet Rooster was defunct by 1973.[citation needed]
Van Zant, Barnes and Lyons, while continuing their day jobs and working in other bands, began composing original songs. By 1974, they decided to form "the ultimate band" that would be their "one last shot" at success. Briefly, Van Zant was considering a higher-paying position for the railroad at which he worked, but was finally convinced by brother Ronnie to stick with music since it was "in his blood".[citation needed]
The new group comprised Van Zant, Barnes, Lyons, Brookins, second drummer Jack Grondin and a returning Carlisi.[5] The band's name was thought up after an incident which found the boys practicing in a warehouse out in the middle of nowhere. When police arrived after being notified by locals of the noise, the band members were unable to come out because of a padlock on the door. One of the cops said, "That's all right. We'll let this .38 special do the talking", and shot off the lock.[6]
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. 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. 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.[5]
Just before the record's release, bassist Ken Lyons decided to leave the band. He was replaced by their friend and original Lynyrd Skynyrd member Larry Junstrom.
Also in 1977, the band added two female backup singers, Carol Bristow and Dale Krantz. Krantz was replaced by Nancy Henderson (1979–1981), Lu Moss (1981–1984) and then Lynn Hineman (1986–1987), before backup singers were dispensed with in 1987.[citation needed]
In October 1977, Ronnie Van Zant was killed when Skynyrd's plane crashed. Donnie wrote "Take Me Back" as a tribute to his brother, which appeared on the band's second album, Special Delivery (March 1978), also produced by Hartman.[5]
1980–1999
The band's first two albums had a strong Southern rock influence. By the early 1980s, .38 Special had shifted to a more accessible guitar-driven arena rock style without completely abandoning the Southern rock roots.[5] This shift helped to usher in a string of successful albums and singles. Engineer Rodney Mills, who had worked with Atlanta Rhythm Section and others, assumed the producer's reins, and Survivor co-founder Jim Peterik became a frequent songwriting collaborator of the band's from 1979 on, which helped account for this change in sound and subsequent success.
"Rockin' into the Night", the title track from the group's third album (released in October 1979), which Peterik and his bandmates had originally written for Survivor, found its way to 38 Special's manager, Mark Spector, and was given to the band. 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. 43 on the BillboardHot 100 in early 1980.[5]
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. 27 in 1981).[5]
Their next release, Special Forces (May 1982),[5] contained the Top 10 hit "Caught Up in You" (just like "Hold On Loosely", composed by Barnes, Carlisi, and Peterik), which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rock Tracks chart, as did the single "If I'd Been the One" (October 1983) from their November 1983 release Tour de Force. "You Keep Runnin' Away" (August 1982) and "Back Where You Belong" (February 1984) continued the sequence of hit radio favorites.
In the fall of 1984, they had another hit with "Teacher, Teacher", from the soundtrack of the 1984 film Teachers, written by Jim Vallance and Bryan Adams. The song climbed to No. 4 on the Billboard Top Tracks Chart, spending ten weeks on the chart.[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.[citation needed]
By 1987, Don Barnes had decided to leave the band to go out on his own.[5] He recorded an album called Ride the Storm, which, though slated for release in 1989, was shelved after A&M Records was sold, and was not released until 2017 – some 28 years later.
In the meantime, the group moved on, bringing in guitarist Danny Chauncey, after drummer Steve Brookins also decided to leave, and singer/keyboardist Max Carl, from West Coast rhythm and blues group Jack Mack & the Heart Attack.[5]
The next release, Rock & Roll Strategy (June 1988),[5] saw the group playing down their heavy guitar sound and putting forth a more 1980s pop keyboard-oriented approach, led by Carl's more R&B-style voice. "Second Chance" (taken from Rock & Roll Strategy) was a No. 1 hit on Billboard's adult contemporary chart in early 1989.
Carl was also lead singer on "The Sound of Your Voice" (Billboard Hot 100 No. 33 in 1991) from Bone Against Steel (July 1991), which saw the group moving from A&M to the American iteration of the British label Charisma Records.[5] That same year, Bobby Capps came aboard as keyboardist/co-singer, and drummer Scott Meeder replaced Jack Grondin after Grondin decided to leave the music business. The band found themselves without a home after Charisma folded in 1992.
After touring with the band through the spring of 1992, Max Carl decided to depart, making way for the return of Don Barnes. Since that time, the band has mostly concentrated on touring, with an occasional release of new material. Scott Hoffman took over the drum chair from Meeder later in 1992. Donny Baldwin (ex-Jefferson Starship) filled in for Hoffman on some 1996 tour dates after Hoffman was down with a broken arm, but Gary "Madman" Moffatt (formerly of Cactus) has been the band's drummer since 1997.[citation needed]
In early 1997, 38's long time guitarist/co-founder Jeff Carlisi, tired of the endless touring, decided to leave to form the Bonnie Blue Band, which led to the supergroup Big People, which also featured Benjamin Orr (from the Cars), Liberty DeVitto (from Billy Joel's band), Derek St. Holmes (ex-Ted Nugent) and Pat Travers. Unfortunately Big People failed to launch after the death of Benjamin Orr in 2000.
Through the small Razor & Tie label, 38 Special released "Fade to Blue" from the album Resolution (The last album to feature Carlisi, released in June 1997). The single hit No. 33 on the Mainstream Rock chart in 1997.[citation needed]
In 2009 .38 Special opened for REO Speedwagon and Styx as part of the "Can't Stop Rockin' Tour".[8]
Van Zant missed a handful of shows in 2011, and in 2012 a notice was posted on 38 Special's website saying Donnie Van Zant would not tour with the band due to health issues related to inner-ear nerve damage, although he would continue to write and record with the band. In 2013, after nearly a year of missing performances, Van Zant officially left 38 Special after 39 years and retired from music.[9]
In 2012 original bassist Ken Lyons died at age 59.[10]
In 2014 longtime bassist Larry Junstrom was replaced by Barry Dunaway (a veteran of many classic rock groups, including Pat Travers Band, Yngwie Malmsteen and Survivor). Dunaway had previously filled in for Junstrom for a handful of shows in 2011, and a few shows in 2013 as well. Junstrom was then forced to retire due to a hand injury that required surgery.[citation needed]
Since 2019, the band's lineup has consisted of Don Barnes, keyboardist/vocalist Bobby Capps, drummer Gary Moffatt, Dunaway, and guitarist Jerry Riggs. This leaves Don Barnes as the only original member, although Barnes was absent from the band from 1987 until 1992.[citation needed]
Larry Junstrom died on October 6, 2019, at age 70.[11]
In 2022 bassist Paul Drennan filled in for Barry Dunaway.[12]
Band members
Current members
Don Barnes – lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, harmonica, mandolin, keyboards (1974–1987, 1992–present)
Bobby Capps – keyboards, backing and lead vocals (touring member 1987–1992; 1992–present)
Gary "Madman" Moffatt – drums, percussion (1996–present)
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom, and Bob Burns (drums). The band spent five years touring small venues under various names and with several lineup changes before deciding on "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in 1969. The band released its first album, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), in 1973. By then, they had settled on a lineup that included bassist Leon Wilkeson, keyboardist Billy Powell, and guitarist Ed King. Burns left and was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974. King left in 1975 and was replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976. At the height of their fame in the 1970s, the band popularized the Southern rock genre with songs such as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". After releasing five studio albums and one live album, the band's career was abruptly halted on October 20, 1977, when their chartered airplane crashed, killing Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines; and seriously injuring the rest of the band.
38 Special is the debut studio album by American rock band 38 Special, released in 1977 by A&M Records. It was remastered and reissued on the Lemon record label in 2003. Two singles, "Long Time Gone" and "Tell Everybody", were released, but neither charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Special Delivery is the second studio album by the American band 38 Special, released in 1978. Neon Park was responsible for the album's artwork.
Rockin' into the Night is the third studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1979.
Wild-Eyed Southern Boys is the fourth studio album by American Southern rock band .38 Special, released on January 3, 1981, by A&M Records. The album spawned the hit single "Hold On Loosely", which remains a staple track of classic rock, as well as the group's discography. A remastered CD, with four bonus live tracks, was reissued by Rock Candy Records in September 2023. The album reached No. 23 on the Canadian charts.
Special Forces is the fifth studio album by American rock band 38 Special, released in 1982 by A&M Records. The band embarked on the Special Forces Tour to support the album.
Tour de Force is the sixth studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1983. Three music videos were made for the tracks "If I'd Been the One", "Back Where You Belong", and "One Time for Old Times", with the latter two featuring the band portraying detectives who are, humorously, trying to find a missing woman in a light-hearted homage to the TV drama Hill Street Blues.
Strength in Numbers is the seventh studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1986. This album was the last one to feature the founding member and co-frontman Don Barnes, until he rejoined the band in 1992.
Bone Against Steel is the ninth studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1991. It was their last album until their 1996 comeback and the last album to feature the vocalist and keyboard player Max Carl. It would also be their last album with long time guitarist and founding member Jeff Carlisi and drummer Jack Grondin.
Resolution is the tenth studio album by southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1997. It was their first album since the 1991 album Bone Against Steel.
Live at Sturgis is a live album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1999. It was recorded at the Buffalo Chip Campground in Sturgis, South Dakota, on August 12, 1999, during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally except for the last track, which is a new studio recording from the same year.
A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night is the eleventh studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 2001.
Drivetrain is the twelfth studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 2004.
Van Zant was an American musical duo composed of brothers Donnie Van Zant and Johnny Van Zant. Both are brothers of Ronnie Van Zant, the original lead singer for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Johnny became the lead vocalist for the reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987. Donnie was the leader and vocalist of .38 Special.
Lawrence Edward Junstrom was an American bassist who was a member of the rock band .38 Special from 1977 until 2014. He was also one of the founding members of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Vicious Cycle is the twelfth studio album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 2003. It was the first album recorded by the band following the death of original bassist Leon Wilkeson, who appears on two songs, "The Way" and "Lucky Man", and the song "Mad Hatter" is a tribute to him. The album is the first to feature bassist Ean Evans, the first mainstream album with Michael Cartellone on drums, and the last album that guitarist Hughie Thomasson played on before he died. It included the single "Red, White & Blue" which peaked at number 27 on the US Mainstream Rock charts.
Legend is a posthumous compilation album by American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd that was released in 1987. It contains previously unreleased demos from the albums before the 1977 plane crash as well as non-LP B-sides. Since Legend was released, most of the tracks have also been included on other albums. The album was certified Gold on July 27, 2001 by the RIAA.
Flashback: The Best of 38 Special is a best-of compilation album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1987. It contains several of the band's greatest hits, such as "Hold On Loosely" and "Caught Up in You", as well as two hit songs from soundtracks previously unavailable on a 38 Special album, "Back to Paradise" and "Teacher, Teacher". It also features one brand-new track unique to this compilation, "Same Old Feeling".
Christmas Time Again is the eleventh studio album by American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 2000.
"Caught Up in You" is a song by American Southern rock band 38 Special, released as the first single released from their 1982 studio album, Special Forces. It became their first #1 on the US Billboard Top Tracks rock chart. It also became one of the band's two top ten pop hits, reaching #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Their other Top 10 single, "Second Chance", reached #6 in 1989. The song also went Top 10 in Canada, peaking at #9 on the RPM Singles chart. Don Barnes sang lead vocals on the song. The song can also be heard on the end of the Squidbillies episode "Burned and Reburned Again."
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