The self-titled Van Zant record is like hidden treasure for 80s melodic rock fans. Released in 1985, the album saw little airplay and generated no chart hits on the Top 100. The project grew out of Johnny Van Zant's southern rock band, but this record is pure AOR. Johnny would team up with his brother Donnie to record again under this moniker, but focused on country music instead. If the voice sounds familiar to you, that's because Johnny Van Zant also sings for 38 Special. Johnny and Donnie are the younger brothers of Ronnie Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd). "Midnight Sensation" is the track that kicks things off, and it is a nostalgic ride back to the 80s.
My introduction to Lynyrd Skynyrd was in middle school when a math teacher pointed to another student's notebook that had the band's name written on it. My teacher told him how to spell "Leonard" correctly, which brought on a bunch of laughter. The legendary Southern rock band is indeed named after a Leonard, and a teacher at that! Lynyrd Skynyrd was named after their gym teacher, Leonard Skinner. Despite the fact that just about everyone has heard of the band and many of their classic tunes, they've never had a huge chart presence. Their only top 10 hit was "Sweet Home Alabama," a snarky counter to Neil Young songs that were critical of the South. "Sweet Home Alabama" found its home at #8 in 1974. The closest the band would come again to the top 10 was with 1977's "What's Your Name," which claimed #13. Their epic ballad, "Free Bird," only flew to #19. Many of you may be surprised to learn that several well-known Lynyrd Skynyrd songs did not chart, including "That Smell," "Simple Man," and "Gimme Three Steps."
