The eternal Free Bird, Ronnie Van Zant

Ronald Wayne Van Zant was born on January 15, 1948.  His father Lacey, was a long haul trucker and his mother Marion, nicknamed “Sister”, was a part time doughnut shop employee and the fundamental caregiver of the family’s six children.  Even as a young person, Ronnie had ambitions to escape the lower middle class enclave he grew up in which was literally known as “Shantytown.”

Typically, warmup bands for the Who were booed off the stage and even pelted with debris.  But, limited to a 30 minute set, Lynyrd Skynyrd won the crowd over and even prompted demands for their own encore.  Watching this performance, the Who entourage and their manager Peter Rudge were impressed.  Nothing of this nature had ever happened before and Rudge, who managed both the Who and The Rolling Stones, took note.

Kooper was immediately impressed by the band’s preparation and focus, all business once they entered the recording studio.  This came from years of rehearsals at the band practice space at a location dubbed “Hell House.”  This shack, in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of Jacksonville was an un-air conditioned, uninsulated dwelling that made for extremely unpleasant conditions, especially during the humid, 90 plus degree days of summer.  The location, on a 90 acre plot of isolated property, was an alternative to suburban spaces that usually were subject to local resident complaints and police interruption.  12 hour days at Hell House made the relative luxury of a professional recording studio a welcome alternative.

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