Ronnie Montrose 1947 - 2012

The first REAL ROCK & ROLL BAND I WAS IN was a band that covered much of the Hit music from 1974. We did Edgar Winter's music, Rick Derringer's music and something both had in common; Ronnie Montrose's music. We would do almost all of the material from the MONTROSE and Warner Brothers presents albums. Ronnie never was as big as many felt he should have been. Ronnie was also constantly being replaced in one way or another first by Rick Derringer in The Edgar Winter Group, then in his own band, Sammy Hagar left Montrose for his own solo career before becoming the lead man for Van Halen.

From what just came out of the San Mateo County Coroner's office, Ronnie died of a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The real truth is, Ronnie died of low self esteem. He struggled with fame and became an under rated over achiever. In a world of Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen,and Alvin Lee, I think it was Ronnie that taught me that faster wasn't always "cooler". Ronnie thought like an artist. He never gave into fashion. Not even when KISS was releasing a disco song. (I was made for loving you).

But Ronnie, why did you have to take the coward's way out? You could have taken up golf for goodness sakes. You could have become a video gamer and slipped into a cyber world. It wasn't time for you to go Ronnie..... It just isn't right.

I will cry two cups of tear before I'm over this.

Ace out