Lynyrd Skynyrd's Rickey Medlocke using platform for a purpose; excited to return to WNY

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Two of classic rock’s mega acts – ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd – are teaming to bring “The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour” to Darien Lake on Thursday, Sept. 12.

Individually, these bands pulled in so many fans at Artpark a decade-and-a-half ago that the venue decided it was time to switch to a ticketed concert system.

So, what will happen when these two juggernauts combine forces?

“Well, listen, where else can you come and see two bands with the history of these bands, and hear all these great songs that these two bands have cataloged?” longtime Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Rickey Medlocke said in a recent phone interview. “I mean, two of the most all-time classic bands in one venue is amazing. I've enjoyed this tour more than you can even imagine.

“Going back to the mid-’70s, I got to know Billy (Gibbons) and Frank (Beard), and of course Dusty (Hill) has passed away, but got to know those guys that far back. And we've had a history together, coming all the way up to right now.

“Billy has been joining us on stage for ‘Call Me The Breeze,’ and that's been great. We just love the guy. We love the guys. They're very close, personal friends of ours.

“And I got to tell you, I know that venue that you're talking about (Artpark). That's a great venue. I love playing it. But hey, you know what, wherever we are booked to go, that's where we're gonna go (laughs). And I feel bad that we pulled that many people that kind of reconfigured everything, but, hey, that's the name of the game.”

Rickey Medlocke and Lynyrd Skynyrd will perform Sept. 12 at Darien Lake. (Image courtesy of Lynyrd Skynyrd/SKH Music)

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Large crowds are nothing new for Lynyrd Skynyrd, as the band celebrates 50 years of rock music success – and myriad hits including “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Freebird,” “Simple Man,” “Gimme Three Steps” and “That Smell.”

“Myself, Johnny (Van Sant), the rest of the band, this is what we do. We play music. And we’re very blessed and fortunate enough to have legions of Lynyrd Skynyrd fans that still want to come out and hear these songs,” Medlocke said. “We try to change it up in the set as often as we can, and bring forth deep cuts. Maybe bring forth favorites that people have. We feel very, very good about what we’re doing, and we’re going to keep right on going.”

Medlocke noted Western New York – and the Niagara Region, in particular – is a special place to play.

“My old band, Blackfoot, had a popularity up in that region when it was touring back in the late-’70s, early-’80s,” he said. “And, of course, being part Native, I am friends with quite a few Natives up in that area. It was a real honor for me to be inducted there in Niagara at the Native American Music Hall of Fame (at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino). Very special night.

“And then, this has fallen over now to what I'm doing with my own work. My own side project, the Rickey Medlocke Band; we basically are doing songs. Now we're going to do a second song to benefit the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement.

“That's very close to my heart. That is something that's very important. Not too many people know the history of that. It's never mentioned on the news media; nothing ever talks about it. So, I just felt compelled to really get involved. And the only way for me to have gotten involved with it is through music.:

MMIW is one of the causes he’s raising funds for with “Never Run Out of Road,” a new song the musician cut with the Rickey Medlocke Band.

“The song itself is a reflection of myself and my life, being a musician that travels – that has traveled all of his life,” Medlocke explained. “And we, my partner and I, my writing partner, Mark Woerpel and I, we decided that we wanted to put this out.

“It was interesting how it happened. A guy named Scott Herold came in, who owns Rock the Cause Records. And he wanted to do this but, when you do it, you have to agree to pick a charity of your choice. … So, what I did was, I picked a really good friend of mine. His name is Gil Birmingham. He's one of the stars on ‘Yellowstone.’ He plays the tribal chairman. Gil started out in his career many years ago in the ‘Twilight’ series. He was the father of the wolves – was in the wheelchair all the time – and he's been in countless movies. As a matter of fact, a movie that he did with Jeremy Renner called ‘Wind River’ dealt with a missing and murdered indigenous daughter of his, and it was very powerful. So, I would urge you to see it if you've never seen it.

“I called Gil and I said, ‘Gil, I want to donate to a real worthy cause.’ He said, ‘I'll find out for you, through (‘Yellowstone’ creator) Taylor Sheridan.’ And he called Taylor, and Taylor called him back, told him that he donated to the National Women's Indigenous Resource Center.

“And so that's what we did. We got connected with them; got connected with a group that I'm very close to, which is the Dream Catchers Charitable Fund through the Eight Nations of the Seneca up there in Canada, and also Save the North American Wolves Fund. And I'll donate all three of them, through this song.

“I wasn't looking to make any incredible money. I wanted the money to go to a worthy thing.

“So, that's where I still stand. That's what I'm still going to do from now until whenever. I want to be involved. I like being involved in something. That's just my heart, because my ancestors on both sides, my father and my mother, were native. And you know what? I hold it close to my heart. It's in my blood.”

Rickey Medlocke and Lynyrd Skynyrd will perform Sept. 12 at Darien Lake. (Image courtesy of Lynyrd Skynyrd/SKH Music)

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When it comes to the Darien Lake show, “As for Skynyrd coming up that way, you know that way has always been one of our favorites,” Medlock said. “The Darien Lake place is just, man, we look forward every time. You know, when we get the schedule and see that we're going to be there, we just love it. And the people at the venue are always just incredibly great, and we always have a good time; the fans are just over the top. So, looking forward to being there.”

He added, “Lately, we've been pulling stuff out that – since I've been back with the band starting in ’96 again – you know, we recorded quite a few albums; and we try to get into those and bring out one or two tunes of those.”

He added, “We're doing ‘Skynyrd Nation’ already, but we're going to start doing ‘Red White and Blue.’ We've already got ‘(The Ballad of) Curtis Loew’ in the show. And we're going to pull out maybe a couple of one or two deep cuts. And you know what? Have a good time; make sure everybody is on their feet having a good time.”

Click HERE for tickets.

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