Red White & Blue (Live)

The Van Zant clan from Jacksonville, Florida has been called The First Family of Southern Rock. Over the years, the Van Zant family’s recordings have unquestionably impacted both fans and contemporaries alike on a worldwide level, among multiple generations. Brothers Johnny (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Donnie (38 Special) joined together over twenty years ago to delve deep into the family’s country-tinged roots and formed Van Zant. The two were inspired by the fact that their late brother, Ronnie, the spiritual leader and original lead vocalist and chief songwriter for Lynyrd Skynyrd, had always wanted to do a country record. “Let’s do it for him,” avowed the brothers. Red White & Blue (Live) is a recently unearthed live Van Zant show recorded on January 28, 2006 at Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Georgia. It is the only concert recording in existence from the only tour by the brothers. From the exuberance on crowd-pleasers like “Takin’ Up Space” and “My Kinda Country” to the heartfelt message of their big Country Singles chart hit “Help Somebody” (which hit #7 in 2005) to the butt-kicking versions of 38 Special’s “Wild Eyed Southern Boys” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Call Me the Breeze” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” the Van Zant brothers are clearly firing proud and true on all cylinders. One of the most telling lines from the title track, “Red White & Blue” — a song the Van Zants wrote but first appeared on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 2003 album, Vicious Cycle — is, “We’re trying to sing the truth to you.” That line alone encapsulates exactly why the Van Zants have always had such a deep connection with their audiences. The Van Zants’ significant contribution to southern rock, country and popular music across the board have created an unparalleled legacy. They may even be The First Family of American Music. It doesn’t get any more Red White & Blue than that.

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