Died On This Date (March 3, 2012) Ronnie Montrose / Rock Guitar Great

themusicsover March 3, 2012 0 Comments

Ronnie Montrose
November 29, 1947 – March 3, 2012

Ronnie Montrose was an American guitarist who, since the early 1970’s, has built a reputation as one of hard rock’s leading players.  Montrose was playing in a band called Sawbuck in when he was offered the chance to play with Van Morrison.  He can be heard on Morrison’s Tupelo Honey and Saint Dominic’s Preview.  Within a year or two, he was in the Edgar Winter Group before starting his own band, Montrose, in 1973.  The group, which included then-unknown Sammy Hagar on lead vocals, went on to release such hard rock staples as “Bad Motor Scooter” and “Rock Candy.”  Their self-titled debut sold over a million copies and has been called the first American heavy metal album.  Montrose later formed Gamma who is perhaps best known for “Fight To The Finish” and “Meanstreak.”  As an in-demand session player, Montrose played on records by the likes of Gary Wright, Boz Scaggs, the Beau Brummels, Nicolette Larson, Herbie Hancock, and the Neville Brothers.  Montrose continued to record, tour , and produce well into the 2000s.  Initial reports indicated that Ronnie Montrose died of prostate cancer on March 3, 2012. It was later revealed, however, that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  He was 64.

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