Home Turf

HOME TURF

Words by Betsy Model

Jacksonville Country

*Johnny and Donnie Van Zant may be musically diverse, but there’s only one place they call home.

Mention the term “crossover” in the music industry, and thoughts typically turn to an obvious shift from one musical genre to another—Shania Twain from country to pop, for example, or Rod Stewart from rock to ballads. But it’s a rare case indeed when musicians can move from one to the other while still maintaining their fan base, their record label and the loyalty of the stations that help propel their music up the charts.

Take this scenario, keep it in the family, and base it all out of Jacksonville, Florida—and you’ve got Johnny and Donnie Van Zant. Their band, Van Zant, has consistently created country music hits, and their current album Get Right With the Man produced not only chart-worthy songs like “Help Somebody,” but gained them sold-out stadium seats in a recent tour with country artist Gretchen Wilson.

But wait… there’s more. Both Van Zants earned their stripes as rockers; Johnny with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Donnie with .38 Special, and both men continue to tour with their original bands, as well as with Van Zant.

When asked how they manage to juggle dual careers—two sets of tour dates, two bands writing and recording different material, two sets of fans—they credit their having grown up in Jacksonville (“There’s an honesty here, a work ethic that’s hard to miss,” says Johnny). And they continue to maintain their families and roots in this popular coastal town.

GO: You’ve both got large families—kids, grandkids. What are some of the places in Jacksonville that are perfect for family-friendly activities?

DONNIE: Certainly there are the beaches; we’re famous for our beaches. But you’ve also got great lakes just minutes outside of Jacksonville. Kids love to go out on a boat and fish.

JOHNNY: Amelia Island State Park (www..#64258; oridastateparks.org) is gorgeous, and there’s a little of everything to do there. My kids also really like Adventure Landing (www.adventurelanding.com), which is a kind of amusement park with water rides, gokarts and arcades. And at the Jacksonville Zoo (www.jaxzoo.org), there’s not only the zoo itself, but also a children’s area with a little park and a petting zoo for the younger kids.

GO: Any must-see attractions for when your friends and extended family come to town?

JOHNNY: Well, my wife will be more than happy to take them shopping! We’ve got plenty of shopping areas, but the Riverwalks are pretty popular with folks who not only want to shop but also walk along the water and see the skyline. [Northbank and Southbank Riverwalks flank downtown Jacksonville and offer a 1.2-mile boardwalk, plus restaurants, shops and a marina.]

DONNIE: Well, again I’m going to have to vote for taking them fishing! We’ve got great saltwater and freshwater fishing—some of the best anywhere in the country—and I think there’s something to be said for fishing for bass and catfish when you’re in the South.

GO: What abou teating out in Jacksonville… any recommendations?

JOHNNY: Jacksonville is pretty sophisticated, and we’ve got every major chain restaurant and choice of food there is. For a date—“date” meaning no children—my wife likes Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (www.ruthschris.com). And just a little out of town, you’ve got Whitey’s Fish Camp (whiteysfishcamp.com), which has great food, and it’s where the local musicians sometimes play at night. It’s also right on the water, which is nice.

DONNIE: Great, great catfish at Whitey’s Fish Camp, and if you’re a visitor you should definitely try the catfish. They’ll fix it any way you’d like, but fried is the best, and it’s the Southern way to eat catfish.

I also like the River City Brewing Co. (www.rivercitybrew.com), and you can also take a brewery tour at the Anheuser Busch Brewery (www.budweisertours.com).

GO: Is there an ideal time to visit your hometown?

JOHNNY: Fall and Christmastime. Christmas is really special here. It’s still warm, but a lot of folks go all out celebrating.

DONNIE: Well, if you can handle the heat, the summer’s great… especially when you’re on a lake, fishing.

GO: Are we sensing a theme here, Donnie, about Jacksonville and fishing?

DONNIE: You bet! It’s just great fishing here, and anyone can rent a boat or go out on a guided day. You don’t feel the humidity as much on a lake. Otherwise, maybe early spring or late fall, since humidity is a lot less than the summertime.

GO: With all your success, have either of you considered living elsewhere, where you’d be closer to recording studios or your record label in Nashville?

JOHNNY: Well, we love Jacksonville. We weren’t just born and raised here; it’s where our entire family is. It’s a great place to live, to visit and to raise a family. You know, when people ask us about our roots with Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special, and then ask about our band Van Zant with the question of “Why country?” I have to laugh sometimes. We ain’t gone country. We were born country!