Getting Worried

When I first started blogging in February of 2010, I managed to get something posted every day. . . and some days, more than one.  As time has marched on, I find that most of the interesting stories of my life have been told, at least the ones I can tell in public.

It really doesn’t matter all that much, but I fear losing my spot on Kurt’s Twenty Five Blogs Guaranteed to Make You Smarter.  My game is slipping and Kurt won’t carry any slackers, so it is time for me to up my game and tap my well of creativity, or bribe him with a bottle of fancy bourbon.

While I continue to search for that  motivation, I will use music as my temporary placeholder.

The 1970’s was a transformational time for music with all sorts of new genres being found in the local neighborhood record store.

One of those genres was “Southern Rock”. The term is hard to define as so many bands that were included in this category had their own unique sound. Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, Molly Hatchet, ZZ Top, The Outlaws to name a few. One band that quietly (well not so quietly)  carved out their niche was Blackfoot.

Getting their start in Jacksonville, FL in 1969,  they spent a good bit of time, playing small clubs and then larger venues.  The North Jersey club scene was the perfect environment for the band to grow in popularity and that is where I saw them multiple times.

Rickey Medlocke was a founding member and front man for the group.  Rickey’s  tremendous energy, excellent guitar playing and his occasional yodeling made him a crowd favorite and the band was never the same after he left to join Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1997, where he still is a member today.

The first Blackfoot record was called “No Reservations” and called attention to the band’s American Indian roots. The record, released in 1975 does not have a weak song and one would be hard pressed not to marvel at the tightness of this band. The legacy lineup consisted of Medlocke on guitar, harmonica and lead vocals, the late Jakson Spires on drums, Charlie Hargrett on lead guitar and Greg T Walker on bass. That lineup went on to record several albums before Rickey left.  Today, Blackfoot is nothing but a tribute band to the band Blackfoot.

If you were growing un during the 70’s-80’s, you might have this record somewhere.

Thirty six minutes of Southern Boogie Rock.