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Sometimes, it's in the genes. Some families just seem to have what it takes to make music, and the VanZant family is especially blessed in this area. Enter Donnie VanZant, brother of Ronnie and Johnny VanZant of Lynyrd Skynyrd fame, and his band .38 Special.
But we must give credit where it's due. Donnie VanZant, while a major influence, is not .38 Special, any more than Ronnie or Johnny were/are Lynyrd Skynyrd. Donnie shares the spotlight with an extraordinary array of talent that has kept .38 Special a major force in the Southern Rock arena for over twenty years. The two most notable present day members are Larry Junstrom (L.J.) and Don Barnes, Donnie's partner in leading the band.
The name comes from their early days. While jamming one day, they were raided by the police, who mistakenly thought that there was a drug or sex party going down. During the initial confusion, one officer commented that he would let his .38 special do his talking. The name stuck.
Most Southern Rock bands have a history filled with ups and downs, failed attempts, and destroyed friendships. But .38 Special has rose above all this to produce a solid, exciting sound continously for the last twenty years. The band has changed little since their early days, and the music none at all. Today's .38 Special is as strong as when they were recording back in the 70's. And there's no signs of slowing down either.
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But hey, we're getting ahead of ourselves here. The band produced their first album way back in 1977. .38 Special was true Southern Rock, with a twist of pop and a big slab of guitar worked in. Despite it's fabulous sounds, the record never gained a large following for the band. |
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That remained the case with their second album. Special Delivery, released in 1978, was another hard-rocking album, but the true fame would have to wait one more year and one more album. |
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Rockin' Into The Night was the turning point. Released in 1979, The title track recieved a goodly amount of air time, and .38 Special was on their way to fame. One special note: On the back of the cover are the words, "This one's for you, Ronnie" dedicating the album to Ronnie VanZant, who died in a plane crash in late 1977. |
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It was followed by Wild-Eyed Southern Boys in 1980, which also sold well. It sold well enough that .38 Special was now considered to be one of the leading Southern Rock bands. |
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In 1981, Special Forces kept the string of hits alive. .38 Special had now produced five albums in a row with little changes in the band's line-up. This was a major feat for any band, especially for a Southern Rock band. |
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Their next album was not released for two years, but it was worth the wait. Tour de Force was released in 1983, again with no changes in the band. While his brothers' band was going through changes, Donnie and .38 Special just kept turning out the music. |
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Three more years, and Strength In Numbers hit the shelves. The year was 1986, and .38 Special was still going strong. |
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Finally, in 1988 with the release of Rock And Roll Strategy, changes came to .38 Special. Don Barnes was gone, and a keyboardist, Max Carl, was added, giving the band new-found depth. The music was the same; Donnie was able to pick up Don's vocals with little noticeable change to the band's style. |
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But sales at A&M Records were starting to slip, despite the band's talent and efforts to build up their following. So in 1991, Bone Against Steel was released under the Charisma label. This marked the end of .38 Special's association with A&M, an association that went back to their first album. |
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It would be six more years, but .38 Special would continue recording. In 1997, Resolution was released, again under a new label, this time Razor & Tie Records. Notable among the band changes in the previous six years were guitarist Jeff Carlisi replaced by Danny Chauncey, and drummer Jack Grondin replaced by Greg Morrow. More importantly, this album saw the return of Don Barnes to the band. This gave them back the "edge" that had been steadily declining from their music since his absense. |
So what's next for .38 Special? For Donnie VanZant, it included a recording session with his brother Johnny VanZant, now lead vocalist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. As a duet, under the name of VanZant, they produced the album Brother To Brother in 1997. As for the group as a whole, only the band knows for sure; but with the return of Don Barnes, expect them to keep "rockin' into the night"!
Click on any of the above album covers for more info on them.
Or click here for more great 38 Special sites!
.38 Special Songlist - Arranged Alphabetically or by Release Date
The Home Of Southern (Kick-Ass) Rock
The Redneck's home Page
Site design ©1998 by James Douglas Tubbs.
