The Van Zant musical dynasty built its foundation firmly on family. Donnie Van Zant co-founded .38 Special and brother Johnny Van Zant is the current lead vocalist for Lynyrd Skynyrd after the passing of their brother Ronnie Van Zant, who fronted and co-founded the iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rock band. 

The new album is Van Zant’s first studio effort in nearly two decades, and their first foray into Christian music. Released in November, Always Look Up debuted at #1 on the Top Christian/Gospel Albums chart and #3 on the Current Country Albums chart, as well as Top 10 debuts on the Independent Current Albums and Current Rock Albums charts.

“This has been on our bucket list for quite some time to do a gospel record,” said Donnie of the sessions that started during the pandemic. “We’re both big believers in Jesus Christ, so that’s really how it started.”

In spite of their enormous successes, much of what makes Van Zant so relatable is the fact they’ll be the first to admit their flaws and struggles.

“I’ll be honest with you, the devil was my best friend at one time,” Johnny remarked. “I’m not gonna lie about that and there ain’t too much that I didn’t try over the years, but I always kept hearing our dad speaking the Bible (in my mind). Our dad should’ve been a preacher, because boy when he started talking the gospel, you didn’t get up and move.

“Of course as kids, I think we listened to half of it and tried to consume what we could, so that was always in the back of my head. I always believed in Jesus Christ, but I wasn’t saved and I felt like I had my personal connection, just like the song ‘It’s Up To You’ that’s on this new album. Over the years, that voice of my dad was reminding me to try to be a better person. I made lots of mistakes, lots of things that hopefully I don’t get to the pearly gates and they’re closed for me. I’m trying to get through them now!” 

“We’ve tried our very best to just write about truth, about people, about problems and situations and just try to be true to ourselves,” said his brother Donnie. “We don’t write nothing that’s B.S. We try to touch people emotionally and spiritually. If we can do that, I think we’ve done our jobs.

“We have a song called ‘Awesome God’ and it was actually written in my mind about Johnny, and from that moment on, he sort of gave his life to Jesus and he became a Christian. God saved him. He got baptised and I could see the spirit of the Lord (in his life). He sounded different to me. Again, as Christians our job is to go out and to shout to the world with God’s truth”.

‘Awesome God’ is out now as a single, and you can check out the video here at RAMzine.

Always Look Up features the tracks: ‘Awesome God’, ‘Stand Up’, ‘Warrior’, ‘There You Are’, ‘Speak His Name’, ‘Why God Brought Me Here’, ‘Praying’, ‘It’s Up to You’, ‘Holy Moment’, Leaning on the Cross and ‘Jesus Christ’ – And is available here.

Previously, they issued a live performance of ‘There You Are (Acoustic)’ from the album, you can purchase or stream here and watch Van Zant perform the song on the music video below.

Before that, Van Zant released a live version of ‘Speak His Name’ and the original studio version is also featured on Always Look Up – That acoustic single and music video followed a viral live performance video from CCM Magazine. Taped in Nashville in November, the CCM performance video garnered over 1.7 million views on Facebook in just over the weeks. You can purchase or stream the live acoustic single: here and check out the new live acoustic performance music video here at RAMzine.

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The performance captures the band’s historic 50th-anniversary concert at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, a show that would prove particularly poignant as founding member Gary Rossington’s final performance before his death five months later.

The live album showcases Skynyrd at their most powerful, delivering career-spanning hits including ‘Freebird,’ ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ and ‘Simple Man.’ The Ryman show brought together an impressive roster of guests: Jelly Roll, Marcus King, John Osborne of The Brothers Osborne, Shinedown‘s Brent Smith, and Donnie Van Zant of Van Zant and 38 Special fame.

With 28 million US record sales and a Rolling Stone-certified spot among the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time,” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s influence on American rock remains undeniable. The Jacksonville band’s journey through triumph and tragedy has cemented their position as Southern rock’s defining voice.

Celebrating 50 Years – Live At The Ryman is available now via Frontiers Music Srl.

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