When an important member departs from this world, bands must decide whether they should continue. Following Ronnie Van Zant’s passing in the plane crash, Lynyrd Skynyrd opted to move on. As it turns out, the band’s guitarist Rickey Medlocke made the remaining members a promise after these tragic events, as he disclosed to Goldmine in a recent chat.
During the period when Lynyrd Skynyrd was at the peak of their career, a horrific incident changed everything. While they were flying to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1977 for a show, their chartered airplane crashed. The tragic accident killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines while injuring other band members.
As this was a traumatic event for the surviving members, Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded. However, they reunited in 1987 for a full-scale tour with Ronnie’s young brother Johnny as the lead singer and songwriter. After his first stint with the band between 1971 and 1972, Rickey Medlocke returned to Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1996 and has been a member since.
In a recent interview, Medlocke looked back on his career with Lynyrd Skynyrd. The guitarist recalled his first stint with the band and said they’re still Lynyrd Skynyrd now with Gary Rossington and Johnny Van Zant, although they lost some original members in the plane crash.
Following that, Medlocke addressed Lynyrd Skynyrd fans, noting that they would keep the band’s legacy alive because they owe that to their fanbase. Recalling when he rejoined the band again, the guitarist said he promised Rossington and Johnny he would be there until the last note they played.
Rickey Medlocke said the following:
“I was there, starting in the early spring of ’71, all the way through almost to the end of ’72 going into ’73. I played drums. And so Gary, myself, and Johnny get hammered because folks say we’re not the original band. We admit that we know that. But this is really Lynyrd Skynyrd because you’ve got Gary, who’s still alive and still there. You’ve got Johnny, the original singer’s younger brother.”
He continued:
“So, when we walk out there, you’re looking at what we call Lynyrd Skynyrd. Look, we’re going to play these songs. And we’re going to keep them like the originals and play them as close as you can possibly get it. And we hold firm to the idea that we owe that to the fans. We keep the integrity of the songs and the band; we hold true to it. We don’t sway from it.
I told Gary when he got me back into this band — what, 27 years ago? I said, ‘Gary, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to come into this thing and be here with you and Johnny.’ I said, ‘I’ll be with you guys until the last note of ‘Free Bird’ is finally played.’ And I meant that, and here I am. I still hold true to that, and I’ll be here for whatever remaining time we have.”
So, Rickey Medlocke promised to be there with Johnny Van Zant and Gary Rossington until Lynyrd Skynyrd’s farewell to the scene. Apparently, he is determined to hold true to his words and perform with the band until the last note they will play on the stage.
