Ronnie Van Zant (born Ronald Wayne), is famous as founding member, frontmen, lead singer and primary lyricist of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ronnie was the older brother of current Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Johnny Van Zant and .38 Special founding member and lead singer Donnie Van Zant. On 20 October 1977, the flight carrying Ronnie and his band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, from Greenville, South Carolina in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, crashed. Ronnie Van Zant died at the age of 29 years.