38 Special

Formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1974, Southern rock band 38 Special was founded by singer / guitarist Donnie Van Zant – brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ronnie Van Zant – and singer / guitarist Don Barnes. The two came together in 1970 when Barnes joined Van Zant’s band Sweet Rooster. The group evolved over the next few years but were not achieving the success they desired so Donnie Van Zant decided to give his musical dream one last shot before leaving the business. Compiling a new line-up of musicians and calling themselves 38 Special – sometimes referred to as .38 Special – Van Zant and Barnes took the band on the road and played a grueling series of  one-nighters and built up a following in Jacksonville and surround areas. Donnie’s brother Ronnie set them up with management and 38 Special began playing high profile shows with artists like Peter Frampton, Kiss, and Foghat. 38 Special signed with A&M Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1977. After the release of Special Delivery (1978) and Rockin’ into the Night (1979), 38 Special finally found success with their Top 20 album Wild Eyed Southern Boys (1981), which included charting hits like “Hold on Loosely” (number 27) and “Fantasy Girl” (number 52). Their next album, Special Forces (1982), reached number 10 on the Billboard 200 and included their biggest hit yet, “Caught Up in You,” which also reached number 10. The group’s commercial momentum continued to move forward with the band heading in a pop-oriented sound. Although line-up changes occurred over the years, the group continued to be a popular live act and became favorites on MTV even though their Southern rock look – long hair, beards, etc. – went against the slick, ‘pretty’ look of other artists on the channel. After the group released the album Strength in Numbers (1986), founding member Don Barnes left the group for a solo career. 38 Special reappeared in 1988 with the slick, keyboard-oriented album Rock & Roll Strategy featuring vocalist / keyboardist Max Carl stepping into co-lead vocalist duties with Donnie Van Zant. The album’s single, “Second Chance,” became their biggest hit yet, reaching number 6 in the Hot 100. Max Carl left 38 Special in 1992, which allowed Don Barnes to resume his role as co-lead vocalist. Eleven years later, Van Zant left the group, and Don Barnes became their sole lead vocalist and the last remaining founding member. The group continued to tour and record, releasing Milestone, their first in 21 years, on September 19, 2025.