Van Zant, 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1948, initially pursued sports before discovering his true calling in music. His powerful voice and authentic songwriting transformed Lynyrd Skynyrd from a garage band into a cultural icon, with hits like “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama” defining the Southern rock genre. However, the band’s ascent was marred by the tragedy that struck mid-tour when their Convair CV-240 aircraft crashed during a flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.