At least four performances – including Monday’s scheduled co-headlining date at the NFL Hall of Fame’s Concert for Legends – are off for Lynyrd Skynyrd due to a positive COVID-19 test within the band. Ricky Medlocke, who has played guitar with the rock outfit since the mid-1990s, is at home and resting while the band determines its next steps.
Skynyrd was scheduled to co-headline the 2021 Concert for Legends at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio Monday. The concert, which features co-headliner Brad Paisley, closes out the Hall of Fame induction celebrations. Opening act Jimmie Allen will play an extended set before Paisley takes the stage after the late cancellation.
“Due to unforseen circumstances, Lynyrd Skynyrd is unable to perform the next four shows,” a statement from the band’s publicist shared by the Pro Football Hall of Fame reads. “Longtime band member Rickey Medlocke has tested positive for COVID-19. Rickey is home resting and responding well to treatment.”
In addition to Monday’s gig in Ohio, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s performances on Tuesday at the Jackson (MI) County Fair, Friday at Atlanta’s Cellairis Amphitheatre and Saturday at Rock the South at Cullman, Alabama were all washed out. An August 19th persformance scheduled for CMAC in Canandaigua, NY is still active on the band’s website and on Ticketmaster.
Medlocke, who turned 71 in February, talked about the impact of being forced into the long break due to COVID in the band’s announcement of its return to the road earlier this year.
“Being locked down brought a big perspective of how much I missed the band and the fans and not to ever take it for granted,” said Medlocke. “Merle Haggard was once asked, ‘Why do you do this? You don’t need to do this.’ He said, ‘I’m a musician, this is what I do – I play.’ That’s what we are. We’re musicians. We play. No matter what comes around, we love to be out playing for the fans. Once the band hits the stage, I hope everybody will forget about last year for a little while.”
