For more than three decades, Six Gun Sally has been keeping Southern rock alive with powerhouse vocals, blazing guitars and a stage show built to get the crowd on its feet. Fresh off the release of their new single, Sittin' Pretty, the seven-piece band is opening for the legendary Double Trouble Double Vision Tour this summer in support of both Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner. Ahead of their July 18th performance at MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, where they'll open for Lynyrd Skynyrd, we caught up with the band to talk about sharing the stage with rock icons, preparing for the biggest shows of their career and why they're having the time of their lives.
What’s going through your mind as you step into that kind of legendary company on stage and those large arenas?
Dave Barbe, band leader and drummer: We have been fortunate to play with Skynyrd on some of the biggest stages over the last three years, so we’ve grown to know the guys and the ins-and-outs of playing with them at larger venues. We are excited and honored to share the stage with both bands; it’s a big opportunity for us.
Your new single is called Sittin’ Pretty. Can you share the story behind this song?
Aimee Jane Williams, lead singer: The song pretty much wrote itself. Ford, our co-writer and co-producer, came up with a really cool riff and was singing “sittin’ pretty.” We just put words together in a storyline that sums up my personal journey as a female performer. I’ve experienced some dark times over the course of my career, and now I’m doing everything that’s conveyed in song. I wear my fun, cool outfits, sing my heart out before crowds standing in front of us, and travel on a bus with these crazy six guns! It’s a good life! The best life I’ve ever known; and that’s Sittin’ Pretty!
If the phrase, Sittin’ Pretty had a personality, what kind of person would that describe hanging out with at a bar?
Jeff Yeckel, lead guitar/harmonies: The person at the bar would appear calm, cool and collected … someone who doesn’t become boisterous to achieve respect or admiration. A person who is humbled by where they’ve been and how far they’ve come, and they keep personal pride and success stories at bay—just sporting a grin. Like a cat that caught the canary! Our keyboard player, Danny, fits the bill!
From club stages to amphitheaters like MIDFLORIDA, how does your approach to performing change – if at all – when the crowd size and energy scale up?
Barbe: The most important thing is that the band is well prepared and we give the fans a show they’ll remember. Aimee controls the stage; she’s got the freedom to use it and she commands it. Quite honestly, playing at a big venue on a large stage in front of a grand audience seems second nature. It’s extremely exciting and energizing to see people standing and singing along to our originals.
You’ve shared the stage with some of your musical heroes over the years. What’s a moment where you had to remind yourself, “Yeah… this is actually my life”?
Williams: From my personal perspective, I have aha moments every day! I used to be a dancer and I had an agent who put me on tour with rock bands—Kid Rock, Rob Zombie, Sammy Hagar, Mötley Crüe, as examples—when I was just 19. I’ve shared stages with rock bands, looking out into audiences as far as the eye can see. It’s come full circle and now I’m a singer under the spotlight. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do since I was a little girl—to write songs and sing them in front of thousands of people. And, today, I’m doing just that. All of us are living our childhood dreams and it’s unbelievably cool. I have a tremendous amount of gratitude every single day to be able to do what I love. I try my best to give back as much as I can—leaving it all on the stage. And making the fans that I meet along the way feel important.
If Six Gun Sally had a signature backstage snack table, what absolutely has to be on it and who’s guarding it?
Yeckel: The band members have a wide palate, some more healthy and some more stealthy than others. Some of us lean toward natural snacks, like fruits, vegetables and nuts, others might like a big ole loaded cheeseburger. But we all agree on one thing: donuts…to be guarded with your life!
Snag your tickets to Six Gun Sally's show at ticketmaster.com. Follow the band's journey on its website sixgunsallyband.com or on social media platforms with the handle @sixgunsally or @sixgunsallymusic.
