It takes a special kind of guitarist to bend strings in the most famous triple-guitar assault ever.

Rickey Medlocke, best known for his work as leader of Blackfoot, has joined forces with guitarist Hughie Thomasson and guitarist/Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder Gary Rossington. At the time of this publication, the group is in Nashville mixing their 17th album, entitled Twenty to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the plane crash which killed several original members of the group.

Jumping into his new role with both feet, Medlocke has already toured extensively with the group and helped pen the lion's share of the new record, also lending his heavy-handed fret work on tape to the smooth melodies of Rossington and the clean picking of Thomasson. According to Medlocke, now is a great time to be in a legendary group like Skynyrd, but to do it successfully, it requires a good attitude, teamwork and reverence for the sound and spirit of the band.

"Bands like ourselves are being rediscovered as well as discovered by new fans, maybe because the younger listeners have gotten to the point where they're grown tired and they're not getting the fix out of music that they used to get," Medlocke said. "All of a sudden, they're searching for different music to listen to."

According to Medlocke a lot of people are discovering Lynyrd Skynyrd in a most curious way.

"I know the big thing with young fans is that they've discovered vinyl," Medlocke said. "So they'll go out to these used record stores and they'll find these old records that they can play. You know, a lot of Lynyrd Skynyrd was on vinyl. All of a sudden, we're something new."

The resurgence of vinyl has had an impact on their fan base, which previously comprised primarily individuals who were teenagers or adults in the '70s.

"I remember from the tour last year, we had a real wide range in the audience," Medlocke said. "[In addition to people in their 30s to 50s] We were seeing ten-year-old kids singing every word to every song."

While younger audiences are learning to appreciate Skynyrd, Medlocke reciprocates by opening his ears to the new stuff.

"I like listening to different kinds of music. I like alternative and country and rock because that's what I'm into, I'm into music," Medlocke said, noting that The Wallflowers is one of his favorite new bands. "I really think that there's room for everything. What has happened in the music industry, however, is that the market has been so saturated with brand new artists and new bands. What ends up happening when a market is saturated is that everything comes out sounding the same. I remember when Skynyrd was signed and Blackfoot and Outlaws, we each had our own individual sound."

Medlocke says that it would be a struggle to be starting out as a musician in the '90s.

"I think it's harder for artists these days to find their own identity because, for example, many of the same studio musicians are used on all the records," Medlocke said. "And those musicians bring the same instruments and amp rigs when they come to cut the session. Bands, on the other hand, sound alike because they're into their genre and take their influences from other bands in that genre."

With the generic sound being put out by many bands provides even more impetus for Medlocke and crew to focus on their new, yet old sound.

"I don't think we're consciously taking anything from the newer bands and putting it into Lynyrd Skynyrd," Medlocke said. "I think Lynyrd Skynyrd has its own integrity. It's has its own sound, image."

A lot of that sound comes from the guitar playing.

"The bottom line is that the three of us guys have always had this style," Medlocke said. "I think we each locked into our own thing. I think that I've always played the way that I play. I've fine tuned it a lot."

Medlocke illustrates his point with the song "Call Me The Breeze." In their live show, the three guitarists trade off solo licks, which accentuates the distinctive respective styles of the melodic Rossington and the quasi country of Thomasson.

"There's no jealousy that runs in the band," Medlocke said. "Everybody does what they do."

So what does Medlocke do?

"I love being plugged into a loud amp and hearing that thing come through the front of the house," Medlocke said. "The overall gut feel of it. Playing the really heavy, chunky low stuff. I love that kind of playing, always have."

Regardless of what Medlocke does, he does it with a Gibson. Included in his collection are a 1983 anniversary Heritage Korina Explorer, a second Explorer, a '57 Les Paul Special that belonged to Buddy Holly, a '54 Gold Top, '68 Black Beauty (one of favorites), a doubleneck, a rare prototype Firebird, and a Flying V.

"I find that the Gibsons have a sound and a feel," Medlocke said. "When you grab the neck on the thing, it just feels solid. I've always played Gibsons. That's always been my thing. I've tried other guitars. I went through the Floyd Rose stage. It was funny. I went through that phase and I went right back to playing Gibsons."