North Florida Music Hall of Fame

Youngest of the three singing Van Zant siblings. Originally a drummer; Johnny Van Zant formed Austin Nickels Band in late 1970s, which signed to Polydor in early 1980s, later with Nettwerk/Elektra. In 1987, Johnny replaced deceased brother Ronnie in the re-formed Lynyrd Skynyrd. Also records with brother Donnie in a duo called Van Zant, which [...]

See .38 Special, Van Zant.

This duo consisting of Van Zant brothers Donnie (of .38 Special) and Johnny (of Lynyrd Skynyrd), recorded two albums for CMC International in 1998 and 2001. In 2005, the duo signed with Columbia as a country act; two singles off Van Zant’s Columbia debut, “Get Right with the Man,” hit the Country Top 10. The [...]

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Jazz trumpeter, born in Jacksonville; attended Howard University in Washington, D.C.; moved to NYC in early 1960s. Charles Tolliver ecorded with Jackie McLean, Max Roach, and Gerald Wilson; also led own bands for Impulse and Black Lion. Formed jazz label, Strata-East, in 1971.

Jacksonville country-pop teen idol discovered and developed by Mae Axton in the late 1950s (or so she claims in her autobiography, Country Singers as I Know ‘Em).  Johnny Tillotson, a semi-regular on Toby Dowdy’s McDuff Hayride TV show, won a Nashville talent contest that led to a deal with New York-based Cadence Records in 1958. [...]

Protégés of producers Johnny McGowan and Nathaniel Orange (Chill Deal Boys, 95 South, Quad City DJs), this Jacksonville bass-music trio signed to MCA in 1991, later switching to Ichyban’s Wrap subsidiary in 1992, where they had a huge club hit with “Daisy Dukes.”

Jacksonville modern rock band, formerly known as Audio Orange, developed by Orlando-based producers Pete Thornton and Tony Battaglia; signed to RCA Records in August, 2002.

A Jacksonville native, Pete Thornton graduated from Bishop Kenny High and earned an associate in science degree from Full Sail School of Recording in Orlando in 1994. While working as an engineer at Jasmine Recording in Jacksonville, pal Donnie Smith (former road manager for The Outlaws) brought Thornton an unknown band he was managing named [...]

Westside Jacksonville band formerly known as Sweet Rooster, later as Alice Marr. Led by Donnie Van Zant, younger sibling of Skynyrd vocalist, Ronnie. Signed to A&M, .38 had no less than 10 hits in the 1980s, including “Hold On Loosely” and “Second Chance,” and remains one of the area’s all-time biggest-selling acts. Replacement bassist Larry [...]

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Jacksonville gospel singer, winner of numerous awards. Debut album on Emtro Music, produced by Troy Sneed.