RAPID CITY, S.D. — Ask nearly any rock fan to name the most powerful voices in modern music, and Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale’s name is almost guaranteed to come up.
Next month, the Grammy Award-winning singer returns to one of the biggest stages of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally when Halestorm opens for country superstar Lainey Wilson at the Legendary Buffalo Chip. And while it’s been years since the band’s first Rally appearance, Hale admits she still remembers every unforgettable moment.
“We’ve only done this once before,” Hale said with a laugh. “We opened for ZZ Top, had our full Sturgis experience, and I’m looking forward to coming back and all the shenanigans that inevitably follow.”
For Hale, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally isn’t just another stop on the tour schedule. It’s unlike anything else in the world.
“What excites me is seeing all these different walks of life come together,” she said. “Everyone has their own story, but they’re all there for the same reason. It’s almost like Vegas… what happens in Sturgis stays in Sturgis.”
Her first visit certainly lived up to that reputation. She recalled arriving at the Buffalo Chip and immediately realizing this wasn’t going to be an ordinary festival.
“There were people riding around on go-karts, girls wearing almost nothing… I remember thinking, ‘Okay… if this is where we’re starting, where is this going to go?'”
Then came the concert itself. Instead of applause after songs, Hale remembers hearing thousands of motorcycle engines roar in approval.
“Our sound guy was laughing because he said, ‘I think you sounded good… I couldn’t hear anything over the motorcycles!'”
The adventure didn’t stop after the show. The band decided to sneak through the Buffalo Chip campgrounds, assuming they could quietly blend into the crowd. That plan lasted only a few minutes.
“Everybody kind of came out of the bushes,” Hale laughed. “It turned into complete fan pandemonium.”
The band escaped by buying an entire case of beer, setting it in front of the crowd, and making a quick getaway while everyone scrambled to grab one.
“We were hanging out with Dee Snider afterward. It turned into one of those legendary nights.”
This year’s performance will be another first for Halestorm, as they’ll share the stage with country superstar Lainey Wilson during one of the Buffalo Chip’s signature genre-blending nights.
“It’s a complete honor,” Hale said. “I love sharing the stage with women who are doing incredible things, no matter what genre they’re in.”
She also believes country and rock audiences have more in common than people realize.
“Country fans have such a tremendous respect for rock and roll,” she said. “I’m looking forward to winning over some cowboy hats.”
While Halestorm has built one of rock’s most loyal fanbases, Hale says the connection she shares with fans continues to surprise her. Over the years she’s signed countless autographs, including what she proudly jokes is “the most boobs signed” in the band’s history, received boxer shorts thrown on stage, and even accepted one of the most unusual gifts imaginable.
“I have a sculpture made entirely of acrylic fingernails,” she laughed.
But it’s not the outrageous moments she remembers most.
“The coolest gifts are the handwritten letters,” Hale said. “People tell me their stories and let me into their lives. When I was thirteen and we started this band, I never imagined anyone would care that much.” That emotional connection has only grown stronger since the release of Halestorm’s latest album, Everest. Hale admits writing the record was one of the most vulnerable experiences of her career.
“I decided I was going to be as honest as humanly possible,” she said. “That was scary.”
The payoff has been hearing fans tell her the songs helped express emotions they couldn’t put into words themselves.
“They’ll tell me, ‘This is exactly what I needed to say, but I didn’t know how.'”
For Hale, that’s become the greatest lesson of the album.
“When you decide to be real instead of trying to write what you think people want to hear, you build a much deeper connection.”
Although Everest continues to resonate with audiences more than a year after its release, Hale says Halestorm is already beginning to look toward its next chapter.
“We’re constantly collecting ideas and writing,” she said. “I’m getting that feeling again… wondering what’s next.”
The band will also head out on tour with Japanese metal sensation Babymetal later this year, another opportunity Hale sees as a chance to introduce Halestorm to new audiences. As for what she hopes Rally-goers take away after Halestorm walks off the Buffalo Chip stage? Her answer had little to do with music.
“I hope people leave inspired to be themselves,” Hale said. “Whatever they’re going through in life, I hope they know it’s going to be okay.”
She paused for a moment before adding one final thought that perfectly captures both Halestorm’s philosophy and the spirit of Sturgis.
“We’re all here together on this messy spinning rock,” she said. “For that moment, none of the other stuff matters. We’re together, and it’s going to be okay.You can listen to this interview Saturday 8/1 during Buffalo Chip Radio on Real Rock 100.3 The Fox starting at 8am.
