After missing the boat with
Lynyrd Skynyrd
(for whom he played drums early on), guitarist/singer
Rick Medlocke
formed
Blackfoot
, arguably the first all-Native American
rock
group. The band struggled for almost a decade, playing run-of-the-mill
Southern rock
that they eventually injected with extra volume and attitude before signing with
Atco
, for whom they recorded their 1979 breakthrough
Strikes
. Known as a ferocious live unit and probably the heaviest of
bands (see opener
"Road Fever"
),
also proved that
could write great melodies for the gloomy
"Left Turn on a Red Light"
and the inspired cover version of
Free
's
"Wishing Well."
But the band's biggest hit would come in the form of the seven-minute
"Highway Song,"
a tune that was admittedly very reminiscent of
Skynyrd
"Freebird"
and that helped drive the album to gold status. Also of note is the harmonica performance of
Shorty Medlocke
(
Rick
's grandfather) on his own
blues
,
"Train, Train."
~ Eduardo Rivadavia