Lynyrd Skynyrd's childhood home named historic site

The childhood home of Lynyrd Skynyrd rockers Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant has been recognised as a historic site in Florida.

The Jacksonville property, where the musicians and their brother Donnie Van Zant grew up, was purchased by local entrepreneur Todd Smith, who worked with state authorities to have a heritage marker installed at the location to recognise the significance of the land, reports aceshowbiz.com.

The special plaque for the Van Zant House was officially unveiled during a ceremony on Saturday.

"Musicians Ronnie, Donnie and Johnny Van Zant spent their formative years growing up in this house with their sisters and parents between the 1950s and 1980s," read the sign.

It goes on to acknowledge the late Ronnie as a co-founder of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and his brother Johnny's role as frontman in the revamped line-up, after Ronnie and bandmate Steve Gaines, and back-up singer Cassie Gaines, were killed in a tragic airplane crash in 1977.

Donnie is also noted as a founding member of the band .38 Special, with the siblings forming a legacy that is a "prodigious contribution to the world of rock music".

--IANS

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