Rickey Medlocke

Rickey Medlocke was born on February 17, 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida and raised by his grandparents. Always a natural born musician, he inherited some of his talent from his grandfather Shorty Medlocke. Shorty was a well-known Delta blues musician who taught his grandson to play a miniature
banjo. Medlocke started performing at age three. He began teaching himself to play guitar at age five and was playing drums in Shorty's band at age eight. Over the next several years Medlocke mastered the banjo, guitar, drums, mandolin, Dobro and keyboards. He had a melodic singing voice and taught himself to sing and play guitar at the same time.

Rickey’s Blackfoot and Lynyrd Skynryd History:

Right out of high school Rickey co-founded BLACKFOOT. As lead vocalist and front man, Rickey and the band were very successful releasing over 10 hard rocking albums.

Rickey left Blackfoot and toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd as a drummer from 1971 through the first half of 1973. In fact, Rickey was in one of the original lineups of Lynyrd Skynyrd and recorded with them at the famous Muscle Shoals Sessions. While with Skynyrd in the early 1970’s, he wrote and recorded with the band. Rickey played drums and sang lead on a few songs like: "One More Time", "Preacher's Daughter", "Lend a Helpin' Hand", "Wino", "White Dove", "Comin' Home", "The Seasons", "Ain't Too Proud to Pray" and "You Run Around."

While in Skynyrd Medlocke played alongside Skynyrd’s original drummer Bob Burns but discovered he wanted more. He wanted to play guitar and be a front man. This resulted in his 1971 decision to reform Blackfoot. He did and BLACKFOOT began touring and producing hit songs like "Train Train", which was written by his grandfather, and "Highway Song", written by Rickey Medlocke and Blackfoot drummer Jakson Spires. That continued from 1973 until Rickey disbanded the group in the early 1990s.

Medlocke thought about pursuing other careers until he received a phone call in 1996 from Gary Rossington inviting him to rejoin Lynyrd Skynyrd as a lead guitarist and songwriter. Rossington asked Medlocke if “he remembered how to play "Free Bird", "Tuesday's Gone", and "Workin' for MCA. Medlocke rejoined Skynyrd and has remained a full time guitarist for the band where he continues to tour and record.

Medlocke has shared the stage with other noted musicians/bands like Blackberry Smoke and Shooter Jennings. In 2005, Medlocke joined American Idol finalist Bo Bice on stage for a rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama."

In 2008, Medlocke was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame.
2013 Rickey Medlocke won a Native American Music Award for Best Instrumental Recording with Homeland Nation Soundtrack at the 14th Annual Native American Music Awards.
In 2015 Medlocke received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2016 Rickey was featured in the documentary honoring his heritage in: ‘RUMBLE, The Indians Who Rocked the World.’

Medlocke is of Native American Heritage and is very proud of that Heritage.