How did 38 Special Get Their Name?
August 8, 2025
Curious about how .38 Special got their name? Discover the intriguing origin story behind this iconic Southern rock band.
Curious about how .38 Special got their name? Discover the intriguing origin story behind this iconic Southern rock band.
To give it it’s real name .38 Special or spelled out as Thirty-eight Special, is a rock band formed by singer-guitarists Donnie Van Zant and Don Barnes in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1974. Donnie Van Zant, the younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder and frontman Ronnie Van Zant. 38 Special are known for their hit songs, including “Hold On Loosely” and “Caught Up in You”, among other Top 40 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 during the 1980s and early 1990s. These epic, vintage-style 38 Special t-shirts look like they came from a gig in the 80’s.