Rickey Medlocke Says He Was ‘Slapped Down’ by the Rock Hall

Guitarist Rickey Medlocke remains exasperated that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame chose to exclude him from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s induction in 2006.

“I got slapped down by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Medlocke declared during an appearance on the Jay Jay French Connection podcast. “I didn’t even get inducted with the band, you know, because according to [the Rock Hall] my tenure with the band wasn’t that important. And I’m thinking to myself, really?”

Medlocke’s initial run with Lynyrd Skynyrd ran from 1971 to ‘72, during which he played drums and sang. He then returned to his former band, Blackfoot, and spent several more years as a solo artist. In 1996, Medlocke rejoined Skynyrd as a guitarist, where he has remained ever since. Because of his long history with the band, Medlocke has always considered himself an original member – a viewpoint that founding member Gary Rossington shared.

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“Gary came out on video and said, ‘Look, Ronnie [Van Zant], Allen [Collins] and I had always considered Rickey an original guy in the band, an original member,” Medlocke noted.

This isn’t the first time the guitarist has expressed disappointment that he wasn’t inducted with Lynyrd Skynyrd. In March, Medlocke offered a middle finger to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame over their decision.

Rickey Medlocke Says It’s ‘Very Important’ to Keep Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Legacy Alive

Rossington, who died in March 2023 at the age of 71, was Lynyrd Skynyrd’s final founding member. Medlocke and singer Johnny Van Zant are now the band’s longest tenured musicians, and they feel a sense of duty to keep Lynyrd Skynyrd going.

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“I made a promise to Gary Rossington when I got back in the band. I told Gary, I said, ‘Gary, no matter what, from this day forward, I’ll be with you in this band until the last note in ‘Free Bird’ is played,” Medlocke explained. “I wish he was with me. It hurt me to the core of my heart when he passed away.”

“It’s very important for Johnny and I, because Gary never wanted to let the legacy and the music die with him,” the guitarist continued. “It’s very important for Johnny and I to keep that standard up, to go out there every night and give it 110 percent for the fans. It’s all for them. And we’re proud to do it.”