On October 17, 1977, Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd released their fifth studio album, Street Survivors. Try again later. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. The Ronnie Van Zant Memorial Park, funded by fans and family of the band, was built on Sandridge Road in Lake Asbury, Florida, nearby his hometown of Jacksonville. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. In 2000, his body was moved due to gravesite vandalism. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. This article was originally published February 14, 2020. All rights reserved. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Many in Florida believe that Ronnie's spirit is just roaming the swamps Florida while enjoying his favorite hobby. [10] Their mausoleums at Orange Park remain as memorials for fans to visit. Try again later. In October of 2009, Ronnie Van Zants grave was vandalized by an unknown person. Resend Activation Email. Though health issues precluded him from playing in all shows in the last few years of his life, he remained active in the band until his death. A 15,000-pound monument containing sketches of the members of the band who were killed is built at the site. Ronnie aspired to be many things before finding his love for music. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: mouse Find a Grave Memorial ID: 241555551 Source citation You have chosen this person to be their own family member. She was only 23 years old. Like the mausoleum, Van Zants tombstone, which is reportedly not directly above the actual grave, has become a shrine for fans and wellwishers. This browser does not support getting your location. (Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. Bandmates Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines, along with assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray, were also killed. Late Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant's grave in Jacksonville, Florida. After his gravesite was vandalised, he was relocated, but until now, there has been no official announcement of where he is buried. Together with guitarist Allen Collins, he co-wrote many of the band's hit songs to include The Ballad of Curtis Loew, Sweet Home Alabama, Mr. Saturday Night Special, and Free Bird. Ronnie grabbed a pillow from the back of the plane, walked back to his seat, and smiled at Pyle. He survived the 1977 plane crash, but tragedy followed him the rest of his life. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Only three days later on October 20, tragedy struck when the plane carrying the band crashed in a Mississippi countryside, leaving vocalists Ronnie Van Zant and Cassie Gaines, as well as guitarist Steve Gaines, dead. Ronald Wayne Van Zant (January 15, 1948 - October 20, 1977) [1] was an American singer, best known as the original lead vocalist, primary lyricist and a founding member of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Originally, he was buried at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, but due to vandalism, was moved from there to Riverside Memorial Park on Normandy Boulevard. Gillsburg, Amite County, Mississippi, USA. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. The remains of Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, two founding members of the 70s Southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, will be relocated to unmarked graves in the aftermath of the recent vandalizing of their Florida burial sites. "[7] Van Zant's father, Lacy, said, "He said to me many times, 'Daddy, I'll never be 30 years old.' or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. A system error has occurred. Thanks for your help! Born in Jacksonville, Florida, he was the lead singer and a founding member of the 1970s Southern rock band "Lynyrd Skynyrd." [citation needed]. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Born in Jacksonville, Florida, he was the lead singer and a founding member of the 1970s Southern rock band "Lynyrd Skynyrd." . The email does not appear to be a valid email address. He is buried in Riverside Memorial Park, off Normandy Boulevard on the citys west side. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Ronnie Van Zant I found on Findagrave.com. 30 June 2000. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. The purpose of this video is to amend my video about the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. Follow Chris on Instagram at fearless_specialist and contact Bill at wdelaney@moderncities.com. Esther Van Zant, Ron Van Zants widow, told News4JAX that the final resting place of her late husband was relocated to a different cemetery in the same cemetery. Alt country band Drive-By Truckers also paid tribute to Ronnie and members of the original band on their Southern Rock Opera album. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Van Zant was married twice. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Original Lead Singer of Southern Rock Band "Lynyrd Skynyrd". Late Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant's grave in Jacksonville, Florida. I joined the local group, the Collegiates, after dropping out of school to pursue a career in music. Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" VanZant (January 15 1948 - October 20 1977) was the lead vocalist, . Verify and try again. Was Ronnie Van Zant's grave moved? Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. Others sustained grave injuries but otherwise survived the accident (via Taste of Country). Online Sunshine. Rock Musician. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. She noted that, eerily, Van Zant's only connection to Mississippi was the fact that he would ultimately die there.[9]. He died just a few years later, in 2005. Please reset your password. This is a carousel with slides. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Oops, we were unable to send the email. To open the vault would require a tractor with a lift capacity of several tons. Learn more about merges. Van Zant's original gravesite was vandalized on June 29, 2000 and consequently his remains were moved to a new location next to his parents. When bassist Larry Junstrom relocated to Miami, he was replaced by Lynyrd Skynyrds Nick Young. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. He died on October 20, 1977 in the plane crash that also took the lives of Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines. Current burial here. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Fans will be permitted to continue visiting this site to pay their respects. On June 29, Van Zants tomb and Gainess mausoleum were broken into. Lynyrd Skynyrd sold out a total of 539,754 tickets at their shows in 2015. Ronnie Van Zant, however, brushed it off and said: "Hey if the Lord wants you to die on this plane, when it's your time, it's your time. Stairway to Heaven is ranked third on Guitar Worlds list of the 100 greatest guitar solo of all time. The police have no suspects and the case is still unsolved. His two brothers also became notable Southern rock musicians: Donnie Van Zant was a member of fellow Jacksonville band 38 Special, while Johnny became lead singer for the reunited . Van Zants family has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the return of his body. The group left Atlanta just prior to recording sessions for their debut album, which was released in Atlanta. He died in 2016 of complications from cancer, and is buried in Riverside Memorial Park along with many other members of the Van Zant family. Due to the June 29, 2000, vandalizing of his original grave site, his casket was moved to this new cemetery. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Lynyrd Skynyrds surviving members were not informed of his death until they were well enough to heal from their injuries. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Failed to report flower. Ronnie Van Zant. After Skynyrd disbanded, Collins joined Rossington, fellow Skynyrd players Leon Wilkeson and Billy Powell, and new musicians to form the Rossington Collins Band. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. John Entwistle gave Wilkeson a Fisherbird bass in 1975 for his bass collection. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. [5] Van Zant died on impact from head injuries suffered after the aircraft struck a tree. In 1977, Ronnie Van Zant, the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd, was killed in a plane crash. ). This browser does not support getting your location. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. In 2020, a headstone was placed for him at Riverside Memorial Park, close to the graves of Wilkeson and Van Zant. "I used that as a segue to try to sell the lots because it was right next to the people, so I thought, 'OK, somebody might be interested in it just because of that reason,'" Cochran said of why he mentioned Van Zant's burial site in the listing. This account has been disabled. Try again later. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Together with guitarist Allen Collins, he co-wrote many of the band's hit songs to include "The Ballad of Curtis Loew," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Mr. Saturday Night Special," and "Free Bird." Leonard Skinner (1933 2010) was not a musician, but he has a place in the history of Southern rock as the namesake of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Failed to delete memorial. [8] Van Zant was buried in Orange Park, Florida, in 1977. Try again later. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. For the fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the mystery of Van Zant's gravesite location has been solved. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. After Van Zants mausoleum was vandalized in 2000, his family had his remains moved to Riverside Memorial Park in Westside Jacksonville. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, he was the lead singer and a founding member of the 1970s Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Melody and I were never happy with this spot, Judy Van Zant continued. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. I spoke with Judy Van Zant by phone on Friday, and she gave me the following explanation why she and her daughter, Melody, made this decision. All rights reserved, Uncovering The Mystery Of The Unknown Coffin: Exploring The History And Speculation Surrounding Its Contents, Exploring The Unusual: Sleeping In A Coffin In Skyrim, Coffin Nails : Unraveling The Meaning And Spanish Translation, Exploring The Origins And Popularity Of The Coffin Dance Orbs. Ronnie was the lead singer and a founding member of "Lynyrd Skynyrd". The band's rise to prominence began in 1973 with the release of their debut album, (Pronounced 'Lh-'nrd 'Skin-'nrd), which had a string of hits that included "I Ain't the One", "Tuesday's Gone", "Gimme Three Steps", "Simple Man", and what became their signature, "Free Bird", later dedicated to the late Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. All rights reserved. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. There was a problem getting your location. memorial page for Ronnie Van Zant (15 Jan 1948-20 Oct 1977), Find a Grave Memorial ID 1057, citing Jacksonville Memory Gardens, Orange Park . Born in Jacksonville, Florida, he was the lead singer and a founding member of the 1970s Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Add to your scrapbook. The Surprising Thing Ronnie Van Zant Is Buried With. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. A few years later, some crazies broke into his crypt and tried to steal his body. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Powells work on the Hammond organ and piano became a signature element of the Skynyrd sound. Guitarist Allen Collins (1952 1990) was, along with Ronnie Van Zant and fellow guitarist Gary Rossington, a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. When the plane crashed, Ronnie Van Zant instantly died due to blunt force trauma to his head. Learn more about merges. Please reset your password. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, he was the lead singer and a founding member of the 1970s Southern rock band "Lynyrd Skynyrd." The bag containing Gaines' remains was torn open and some scattered onto the grass. 0 cemeteries found in Orange Park, Clay County, Florida, USA. based on information from your browser. GREAT NEWS! Van Zant was only 29 years old when he died, but his legacy has lived on for decades. The News4JAX Morning Show team brings you breaking news from overnight -- local, national and international stories, as well as weather and traffic to start your day. Make sure that the file is a photo. In 2000, nearly 23 years after Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines were laid to rest at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, vandals broke in and disturbed their remains. Together they developed the band that would be known as Lynyrd . Together with guitarist Allen Collins, he co-wrote many of the band's hit songs to include "The Ballad of Curtis Loew," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Saturday Night Special," and "Free Bird." Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Musician. Following the plane crash, Powell provided keyboard for 38 Special, the Southern rock band fronted by Van Zants brother Donnie, and joined his bandmates in the Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins Band. Remove this flower how to make the most of a memorial for Ronnie Van Zant, the lead of. For the fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash when he died on October ronnie van zant grave moved ). 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