Flyin' High

Originally released on Epic Records back in 1976, this was the first of six of a string of fantastic rockin' albums from Rickey Medlocke and Co. The sad thing about "Flyin' High" is that despite it being such a solid Southern Rock album and being released on a major label, it's a relatively unheard of record. Many people think that "Strikes" was the first Blackfoot record. That is partially due to the fact that "Flyin' High" was out of print for over a decade, unlike the Atco releases which are very easy to come by. Another reason is that the album didn't have any charting singles, unlike Strikes which had a few. However, fans of this style of music aren't usually interested in radio singles. It's all about rockin' and "Flyin' High" rocks hard. "Flyin' High", "Dancin' Man", and "Junkies Dream" all have killer, powerhouse guitar riffs. The production is raw as well, which adds to the overall appeal. The songs mix Medlock's native-American heritage with the time he spent in Skynyrd and a dose of 70's heavy metal attitude. However I do think the songs here feel a little more constrained to the more outrageous stuff that would come in the future like "Road Fever" or "Good Morning". "Flyin' High" is still a solid Southern rock album and will forever remain the lost gem in the Blackfoot catalog.