After more than three decades together, 38 SPECIAL continue to bring their signature blast of Southern Rock to over 100 cities a year. And at each and every show, thousands of audience members are blindsided by the explosive power of the band's performance.
Their many Gold and Platinum album awards stand in testament to the endurance of a legendary powerhouse.
With sales in excess of 20 million, most associate the band with their arena-rock pop smashes, “Hold On Loosely,” “Rockin’ Into the Night,” “Caught Up in You,” “Fantasy Girl,” “If I’d Been the One,” “Back Where You Belong,” “Chain Lightnin’,” “Second Chance,” and more - timeless hits that have become a staple at radio and paved the way to their present-day touring regimen, with songs that are immediately recognizable from the first opening chord.
The co-founders of the group, vocalist DONNIE VAN ZANT and guitarist/vocalist DON BARNES, say it's all about maintaining that intensity in their live shows.
Barnes says, “We never wanted to be one of those bands that had maybe gotten a little soft or complacent over the years. We're a team, and it's always been kind of an unspoken rule that we don’t slack up, we stack up. We go out there every night to win.”
It is that steely determination that lives on in the hearts of these ‘Wild-Eyed Southern Boys.’
Van Zant adds, "This music keeps our wheels on the road. We're a band that's tried to stay honest with what has driven us over the years. We started out with nothing but bold determination to make our own history, to endure and establish a lifetime of music and brotherhood. And looking back now, it has been our greatest pride to have persevered and attained that level of success and longevity. For us, it's the ultimate validation.”
Van Zant is a unique driving force for the band, with an unending spirit that propels the rest to consistently take it up a notch. His name is synonymous with Southern Rock royalty as the brother of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, the late Ronnie Van Zant, iconic singer and founder of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
38 Special onstage - rounded out by guitarist DANNY CHAUNCEY, bassist LARRY "L.J." JUNSTROM, drummer GARY MOFFATT and keyboardist/vocalist BOBBY CAPPS - is a celebration of camaraderie and brotherhood, a precision team of seasoned veterans who bring the dedication and honesty to a long history of classic, timeless songs, as well as surprisingly fresh new material.
Since 1976, the band has released more than 15 albums. And from the start, they’ve toured relentlessly, bringing their signature brand of ‘muscle and melody’ to fans worldwide.
“And the magic's still there,” says Van Zant. "It's an emotional high for us as well as the fans. When those lights go down and we walk up those steps to the stage and hear that audience roar, sometimes I feel like Don and I don't even have to sing because the crowds are so vocal. We feel like we're getting ready to strap ourselves in and it just takes off from there."
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