Fans of Southern rock - and fans of the Van Zant family in particular -
are
in for a rare treat when brothers Johnny and Donnie take their Van Zant
band
on the road for the first time.
The outing in support of their second album, Van Zant II, kicks off
March 6
at the House of Blues in Orlando and works its way north for nine dates.
Johnny is on a break from lead vocal duties for Lynyrd Skynyrd and
Donnie
was able to squeeze in the dates just before a national tour with 38
Special.
"They've always wanted to play together on the same stage and these
nine
dates are probably going to be the only opportunity for people to come
out
and see them," Van Zant manager Ross Schilling told Pollstar.
"It's really something special, especially for people who are Southern
rock
fans and fans of both brothers, and for the family."
In addition to the brothers, Van Zant's touring band comprises some of
Southern rock's finest musicians. Drummer Michael Cartellone - another
Lynyrd
Skynyrd stalwart - joins the band and Bobby Capps of 38 Special lends
his
keyboards to the hybrid.
Veteran session guitarists Erik Lungren and Jeff Flannery and bassist
Gary
"Mojo" Hensley fill out the touring version of the band.
The Van Zant project shouldn't be taken as a sign the namesake brothers
are
giving up on their gigs with Lynyrd Skynyrd and 38 Special, however. As
soon
as the mini-tour wraps, they head straight back to work at their
"regular"
jobs.
Lynyrd Skynyrd will be working on a new album before launching a tour
in
May, and 38 Special kicks off a roadshow of their own just six days
after the
Van Zant trek ends.
"[The Van Zant tour] really has to be just short and sweet, because as
you
can see 38 Special starts right up after that," Schilling said. "And as
Donnie heads out to California to start that tour, Johnny flies right
out to
Florida for writing sessions with Lynyrd Skynyrd for the next record,
then
they go into rehearsals in April and there's a tour in May."
38 Special joins the Charlie Daniels Band
Volunteer Jam May 11 in Charlotte, N.C., for a
monthlong festival caravan.
Van Zant II reaches record stores March 6, and the debut single, "Get
What
You Got Comin'" featuring blues guitar whiz Kenny Wayne Shepherd, is
already
making its way to radio.