As the mother of legendary Southern rock performers Ronnie, Donnie, and Johnny Van Zant, Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant (1929–2000) has a particular position in music history. She was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and was instrumental in raising the Van Zant brothers—who would later help to define the sound of Lynyrd Skynyrd and other famous groups. Her life, family, and legacy are examined in this page.
Early Life and Background
November 11, 1929 saw Marion Virginia Hicks born in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida. Her parents were Carroell Vern Hicks and Frances Adeline Leonard. Marion was up in Florida from a modest home and saw the hardships of the Great Depression. At the age of 17, she wed Lacy Austin Van Zant in 1947; together, they reared their children in the Jacksonville region.
Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant’s Daughter: Johnny Van Zant
Born on February 27, 1960, Johnny Van Zant is a well-known American vocalist who is the younger brother of the venerable Ronnie Van Zant, the original lead vocalist of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Born of Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant, a major player in the musical tradition of the Van Zant family, he is Though Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant may not be as well-known as her boys, she was instrumental in forming Johnny’s upbringing and encouraged his early love of music. The Southern rock scene created in their house, where all of Johnny’s brothers, Ronnie and Donnie, followed musical careers, greatly shaped his road to prominence. Marion’s children were able to flourish in their different musical endeavors because of her loving demeanor and encouragement of family music.
The impact of Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant on Johnny is evident in his career as much as in his personal life. Johnny, the younger of the Van Zant brothers, assumed the lead vocals for Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987 following the sad loss of Ronnie in a 1977 aircraft disaster. Having a multi-decade career, Johnny has also had solo success with the Johnny Van Zant Band and worked with his brother Donnie in the Van Zant pair. His dedication to family, music, and faith still captures the morals his mother, Marion, taught. With the CD Always Look Up, Johnny has turned toward Christian music in recent years, therefore confirming his artistic lineage and respecting his upbringing under the careful eye of Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant.
Family and Children
For her children especially in their early years, Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant had a major impact. She had three sons: Johnny Van Zant, who subsequently joined Lynyrd Skynyrd as the lead singer after Ronnie’s untimely death; Donnie Van Zant, a well-known member of the Southern rock band 38 Special; and Ronnie Van Zant, the venerable lead vocalist of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The Van Zant family belonged quite strongly in Jacksonville’s musical scene. Music permeated their house; Marion was well-known to have encouraged her boys’ musical aspirations from early life. Particularly following Ronnie’s tragic death in a plane crash in 1977, the family’s closeness was much enhanced by her loving nature and strong ideals. Often leading her sons and their families through trying circumstances with wisdom and resiliency, Marion stayed near.
Legacy and Influence on Her Sons
Unquestionably, Marion shaped her children—especially the musical careers of her boys. With Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie Van Zant, the most well-known of the three, evolved a Southern rock legend. His family suffered much and the world was stunned by his sudden death at age 29 in an aircraft disaster in 1977. Still, Marion stayed a steady presence for her surviving children, therefore preserving their family tradition.
Both Donnie Van Zant and Johnny Van Zant carried on in their musical careers; Donnie became the lead man of 38 Special, a band renowned for mixing Southern rock with stadium rock. With Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny also had success preserving the band’s sound for the contemporary period. Marion’s boys negotiated the highs and lows of celebrity and personal grief with her unflinching support and direction.
The Van Zant family’s foundation was Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant’s loving presence; her children and supporters both remember her as a mother, mentor, and matriarch. Her strong work ethic, respect of family, and great enjoyment of music—values that are evident in the ongoing popularity of the bands of the Van Zant brothers—were taught to them.
Personal Life and Later Years
The life of Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant transcended mere music. She spent decades in marriage with Lacy Van Zant, a loving spouse. Raising their children in Jacksonville together, they created a close-knit family. Deep loyalty to her family and community defined Marion’s personal existence.
Marion remained living in Jacksonville in her senior years. She sadly died away on April 8, 2000, at seventy-years of age. For the Van Zant family, her death signaled the end of an era, but her legacy endures via her children, grandkids, and the music that resounds through the years.
Final Resting Place
Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant was buried in Riverside Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Florida; both family members and supporters can still find solace there. Though Marion was not as well-known as her boys, her impact on their life and work has permanently changed the Southern rock scene.
Conclusion
Dedication to family, courage as a mother, and her ongoing influence on Southern rock defined Marion Virginia Hicks Van Zant’s life. Being the mother of Ronnie, Donnie, and Johnny Van Zant, she was instrumental in determining their paths and the heritage of the Van Zant family. Within her family as well as among the millions of listeners still enjoying Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, and the Van Zant brothers, Marion’s kind nature and impact will be felt for centuries.
Her narrative is evidence of the strength of family, the eternal ties of love, and the long-lasting influence a mother can have on her children’s life—personal as well as professional.
