Donnie Van Zant Joins Skynyrd To Sing “Sweet Home Alabama” At Fox Theatre In 1993
on Jun 10, 2016 • Updated Jun 10, 2020
Lynyrd Skynyrd is a true family affair. Following the tragic death of lead singer Ronnie Van Zant in 1977, younger brother Johnny stepped up to take his place when the band reunited in 1987. Johnny has been Skynyrd’s fearless leader ever since.
While he’s never been a member of Skynyrd, Ronnie and Johnny’s brother Donnie has the passion for Southern rock in his blood. In 1974, Donnie co-founded his own Southern rock group called 38 Special, which is known for hit singles such as “Hold On Loosely” and “Caught Up in You.”
Together, Johnny and Donnie sometimes perform as the duo Van Zant. They’ve recorded several albums over the years, with their most recognizable single being the Top 10 country hit “Help Somebody.”
Help Somebody by Van Zant is one of my all time favorite songs
— Christian Ehnle (@christian_ehnle) November 2, 2016
While at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta in 1993, Skynyrd geared up to perform their iconic hit, “Sweet Home Alabama.” But before they did, Johnny announced they were bringing another microphone on stage because a special guest was there to sing “Sweet Home” with them.
The fans roared with delight when Johnny revealed his special guest was none other than his brother, Donnie.
Johnny and Donnie took turns trading lines in the song before they finally joined together on the chorus. They made the perfect team, and fed off of one another’s excitement to deliver a fun-filled performance. The energy in the room was electric, and you could tell the crowd knew they were witnessing something special on the stage in front of them.
You have to check out this incredible collaboration between the Van Zant brothers in the video below!
