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Born in Salisbury, Maryland
Ron has been
playing music in bands since he was thirteen years old. His first
professional performance was in 1953 when he worked with Hawkshaw
Hawkins on his Gibson Console Grand steel guitar. Later in 1955,
while serving with U. S. Army in Germany, he had his '53 triple neck
Fender shipped to him and he played with Special Services for the
Armed Forces U.S.O. Tours. Upon returning home from the service he
again played in local bands and worked as a D.J. on the local radio
station WICO, where played and promoted records that had steel
guitar on them.
In 1964, he and a local band from Salisbury traveled to Nashville,
Tennessee and recorded a session at the Starday Studio. Later in
1964 he joined Mel Price's Sante Fe Rangers band and they played
military bases throughout the U. S. In 1965 he joined Jimmy Case's
Cherokees and also played military bases throughout the U. S. and in
Iceland, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
In July 1966, he left the Cherokees and moved to Nashville,
Tennessee to become a member of Stonewall Jackson's Minute Men.
While with Stonewall, he played on the Grand Ole Opry; played on
Country Music television shows with 'Wall'; recorded on many of
Stonewall's sessions; and toured the U. S. and Canada.
After leaving Stonewall, Ron joined Grand Ole Opry's Jack Greene's
Band, which later became the Jack Greene/Jeannie Seely Show with The
Jolly Giants. In his eight years with the Jolly Giants, Ron played
the Grand Ole Opry (both audio and TV) spots; played for the Grammy
Awards when it was held in Nashville; played for the United Nations
Show in Washington, D. C.; did recording sessions with both Jack
Greene and Jeannie Seely; played many Country Music televison shows
with Jack and Jeannie; played the last Saturday night at the Ryman
Auditorium and the first Saturday night in the new Grand Ole Opry
House, which was attended by the President of the United States and
Jack, Jeannie and the Jolly Giants were the only act to perform in
front of the President and First Lady; and he also played on the
Jack and Jeannie live album which was the first live album to be
recorded from the new Opry House.
In the mid 1970's Ron left the road and went to work at the Sho-Bud
Guitar factory where he helped design new models, both steel guitars
and amps. While working at Sho-Bud, Ron was instrumental in the
design of the new Sho-Bud Super Pro with the aluminum necks and
changing the body dimension. He also designed the A6th pedal on the
Sho-Bud single neck that changes the E9th tuning to A6th, and helped
with the design of the new Sho-Bud Stage/Studio 500 amp.
During his time with Sho-Bud, which became Sho-Bud/Baldwin/Gretsch,
he held seminars for promotion and sales of the steel guitar in
Tennessee and Arkansas; and taught steel guitar lessons. He also
designed and wrote an instructional manual for the Sho-Bud Maverick
that included audio.
When Ron was not touring or working steady with a band, he free
lanced and toured with Ernest Tubb; Kitty Wells; Cal Smith; Justin
Tubb; Johnny Bush; Ray Price; Melba Montgomery and others.
Ron spent the next eight years playing and touring with another
Grand Ole Opry artist - Charlie Louvin. While a member of Charlie's
band, he again worked on the Grand Ole Opry, both radio and TV
spots. Their tour dates took them all over the U. S. and Canada. Ron
had to leave Charlie's band when the Opry management made a new
ruling about the size of the artist's bands and Charlie had to cut
some of his band members.
For about the next seven years he had a day job that kept him from
touring with a group or playing the steel guitar shows like he
wanted to do. During these years he still found a way to play his
guitar and entertain the folks by joining Johnny Carver's Nashville
All Star Band. They played for a dance every Saturday night in
Lebanon, Tennessee for almost thirteen years, until Johnny sold the
venue. The band regrouped with a new name, The Music Masters and
moved to the V.F.W. in Gallatin, Tennessee where they still play
every Saturday night.
Currently, Ron is now able to play the steel guitar shows and is
looking forward to playing as many shows as possible. If he is not
out of town playing a steel show - you can catch him at the dance in
Gallatin.
Ron is very proud of the awards that have been presented to him. He
has received an award from: PSGA (Pedal Steel Guitar Association);
Golden Bar Award-BJS Bars; R. O. P. E. (Reunion of Professional
Entertainers) Musician Of The Year Award and the Legends Award from
NTSGA (North Tennessee Steel Guitar Association).
Ron is proud to be able to say that his first trip to Nashville as a
musician was to record a session at Starday Studio in 1964 and then
in 1966 his first time go to to the Grand Ole Opry was to play on it
as a member of Stonewall Jackson's band, The Minute Men.
Ron and wife, Leslie reside in Madison, Tennessee. They have three
daughters, Edie, Cheryl, Nancy and one son, R. P.; six
grandchildren; two great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter. Ron
has passed his musical legacy on to his son, who plays lead guitar,
works for Gibson Guitar and recently designed a new guitar for
Gibson.
Ron is a 32° Scottish Rite Mason belonging to John B. Garrett Lodge
#711; a Shriner belonging to Al Menah Temple; a member of American
Legion Post #82; a member of North Tennessee Steel Guitar
Association; Pedal Steel Guitar Association; and R.O.P.E. (Reunion
of Professional Entertainers) which he helped start in 1983 and has
membership card #2.
Ron is a very patriotic, sincere person and has the ability to reach
out to the audience and hold their attention with his soulful,
smooth playing along with his great wit and humor. He definitely is
a people player who loves playing for them and they love him.
Became a member of The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame on Sept. 5
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