Rickey Medlocke and Ed King in 2006 (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Rickey Medlocke and Ed King in 2006 (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)Former Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Ed King died on Tuesday at age 68, and now one of the band’s current guitarists, Rickey Medlocke, is paying homage to his fellow musician.
“Sorry to hear about the passing of Ed King,” Medlocke tells ABC Radio. “I did not know Ed really that well, and not all that personal, but I will speak from a musician’s point of view: I think he was just a really great guitar player.”
Medlocke also praises Ed for co-writing “Sweet Home Alabama,” which Rickey ranks as “one of the greatest songs ever.”
Further reflecting on King’s death, Medlocke says, “I am sorry to hear of the passing of another great musician. It seems like lately, every time we turn around that one of the great ones is leaving us, and it really bothers me when a great one leaves this world.”
“It bothers me when anyone leaves this world, but that’s a part of life,” he adds. “If we only could realize we’re all here on borrowed time it might make a difference in the world.”
He adds, “[M]y thoughts and prayers and condolences goes out to Ed’s family.”
King joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1972, and initially played with the band until 1975, two years before the plane crash that killed three of the group’s members. During his tenure, Ed co-wrote several well-known tunes, including “Sweet Home Alabama.” He rejoined a reunited Skynyrd from 1987 to 1996, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2006.
Medlocke briefly played drums with Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1971 and ’72, before leaving to focus on fronting his own group, Blackfoot. He rejoined the band as a guitarist in 1996. Skynyrd continues its farewell tour tonight in Syracuse, New York.
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