Johnny Van Zant Offers An Insider’s Look Into The Future Of Skynyrd
on May 31, 2016
In the entire history of music, it can be argued that no band has conquered as many challenges as Lynyrd Skynyrd. Following the plane crash of 1977 that claimed the lives of lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, fans assumed Skynyrd’s story was destined to end there.
But Skynyrd had more to say, and so they reunited in 1987 for a tribute tour that has since turned into nearly 30 additional years of touring, releasing albums, and adding further contributions to Southern rock.
Now, with guitarist Gary Rossington as the only one surviving member of the original band left in the current lineup, many have been curious to know what the future has in store for this iconic group.
During an interview in 2012 about Skynyrd’s studio album Last of a Dyin’ Breed, lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant explored the possibilities for the band’s future. He reflected on their heartbreaking past, saying that after going through so much loss Skynyrd has always proved to be a resilient bunch. Because of that, Johnny knows that Skynyrd will continue making great music in the years to come:
“We’re going out and we’re playing music and having fun doing it. We’re writing songs and having fun doing it again and hey, who knows what the Lord’s going to bring us? Who knows how long we’re going to be able to do this and while we’re doing it, we’re going to have as much fun as we can and hopefully our fans stick with us and we’ll have many, many more years doing this.”
Although Skynyrd hasn’t released any new albums since Last of a Dyin’ Breed in 2012, they continue to tour extensively. Even after all these years, Skynyrd continues to daze and amaze every crowd they play in front of. You can watch one of their high-energy performances in the video below.
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