Questions
Who formed 38 Special and when?
Singer-guitarists Donnie Van Zant and Don Barnes formed the band in Jacksonville, Florida in 1974. Both were born in 1952.
Is 38 Special connected to Lynyrd Skynyrd?
Yes. Donnie Van Zant is the younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder and frontman Ronnie Van Zant. Skynyrd’s manager Peter Rudge later helped launch 38 Special’s career.
Where does the name 38 Special come from?
Reportedly it came from a police visit to an early rehearsal, when an officer said he would let a .38 special do the talking and shot off a padlock trapping the band inside a warehouse. Guitarist Jeff Carlisi later disputed the story as marketing fabrication.
What are their biggest hits?
Fan favorites include "Hold On Loosely" (No. 27 in 1981), "Caught Up in You" (a Top 10 that hit No. 1 on Rock Tracks), "Teacher, Teacher," and the 1989 ballad "Second Chance," which reached No. 1 on Adult Contemporary.
Did the band really have two drummers?
Yes. The 1974 lineup featured two drummers, Steve Brookins and Jack Grondin, a New Jersey native who was attending Jacksonville University at the time.
When did they release their debut album?
Their self-titled debut 38 Special came out in May 1977 and was produced by Dan Hartman of the Edgar Winter Group.
What was their first taste of national success?
"Rockin’ into the Night" (1980) was their first song to get national airplay, peaking at No. 43. Their platinum fourth album Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1981) then brought sustained success.
Who helped write their biggest songs?
Jim Peterik of Survivor became a frequent songwriting collaborator from 1979 on, co-writing both "Hold On Loosely" and "Caught Up in You."
Who were the original members?
Donnie Van Zant and Don Barnes co-founded the band along with Steve Brookins, Jack Grondin, Ken Lyons, and Jeff Carlisi.
Which original member is still performing?
Don Barnes is the only original member still in the band, though he was absent between 1987 and 1992.
Why did Donnie Van Zant leave?
He left in 2013 after 39 years with the band due to inner-ear nerve damage.
Did any of their songs appear in movies?
Yes. "Teacher, Teacher" appeared on the soundtrack of the 1984 film Teachers.
Who is in the band now?
The current lineup is Don Barnes (lead vocals, guitar), Bobby Capps (keyboards, vocals), Gary Moffatt (drums), Barry Dunaway (bass), and Jerry Riggs (guitar).
Have they released new music recently?
In July 2025 they announced Milestone, their first album in 21 years, led by the single "All I Haven’t Said."
