Ronnie Montrose with Boz Scaggs and Les Dudek; 1973
Rock music lost another one this week as one of the best-known rock guitarists of the ’70s, Ronnie Montrose died yesterday. Only 64, Montrose had been fighting prostate cancer for several years.
Ronnie Montrose is perhaps best known for founding the titular band Montrose which featured lead singer Sammy Hagar. The band released 5 albums and its hits included Rock the Nation, Bad Motor Scooter, and Rock Candy, all with Hagar.
Montrose later recorded 9 solo albums, none of which attained the popularity or success of the first 2 Montrose albums.
In his early career Ronnie Montrose played on Van Morrison’s Tupelo Honey album and They Only Come out at Night, with Edgar Winter.
Montrose also played and/or recorded with Gary Wright, Nicolette Larson, Tony Williams, The Beau Brummels, The Neville Brothers, Boz Scaggs, and Herbie Hancock. He was actively touring up until 2009.
Numerous notable rock musicians have taken to facebook and the twitter-waves to express their condolences – Peter Frampton, Nikki Sixx, and Slash.
Rock Cellar Magazine offers condolences to Ronnie’s family and legions of friends and fans. Here’s Rock the Nation – Montrose with Sammy Hagar:
