Sad news - Ronnie Montrose has died

[Blooby]

I was a bit shocked to read this a few minutes ago.  I wasn't aware of his ongoing battle with cancer.


From MusicRadar:

Guitarist Ronnie Montrose, who formed the band that bore his name with Sammy Hagar in 1973, died last night (Saturday, 3 March) after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. Montrose was 64 years old.

Born on 29 November 1947, Montrose's talents as a guitarist first gained the attention of Van Morrison, who asked him to play on his 1971 album Tupelo Honey. Montrose then briefly joined the Edgar Winter Group before deciding to form his own band with a then-unknown vocalist named Sammy Hagar.

That version of Montrose put out two albums, Montrose and Paper Money, before Hagar left to go solo. Ronnie Montrose would continue to release albums under the band moniker 'Montrose,' but he concentrated on solo recordings, guest appearances and a new band, Gama, which put out four records from 1979 to 2000.

In 2009, Montrose revealed that he had been battling prostate cancer for the past two years. He continued to perform (a series of dates were recently booked, including a May 2012 appearance at BB King's in New York), but last night his website was updated with the following announcement:

"A few months ago, we held a surprise party for Ronnie Montrose's 64th birthday. He gave an impromptu speech, and told us that after a long life, filled with joy and hardship, he didn't take any of our love for granted.

"He passed today. He'd battled cancer, and staved off old age for long enough. And true to form, he chose his own exit the way he chose his own life. We miss him already, but we're glad to have shared with him while we could."

[bruno]

Oh man - not another one. Saw Montrose in the 70's at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. Preying Mantis were supporting I think. He was a gifted guitarist.

[Farrell Jackson]

F%*K! They are dropping like flies. I just read this.

"Guitarist Ronnie Montrose, who formed the band that bore his name with Sammy
Hagar in 1973, died last night (Saturday, 3 March) after a lengthy battle with
prostate cancer. Montrose was 64 years old."

I saw these guys on tour in 1973 at a small place that was a local wrestling
arena. Ronnie Montrose had a Marshall stack, the bass player had a stack, tons
of drums, and a young, wild, and energetic singer named Sammy Hagar. What a show
and it was friggin' loud. There were probably a hundred people in the audience
at a venue that held maybe 300.

It blew my mind that so few showed up to see these rockers!

Montrose has headlined for the last two years at a local open air benefit
concert. It's just outside of Oakdale Ca. called The Sierra View Concert. Ironically
it's held on the adjoining acreage where I grew up. It always draws a good crowd
and the band members (not Ronnie) would frequent a small bar called The Cowtrack Lounge to party
and jam a little......these guys were maybe 30 years old...maybe, lol.

He would always raffle off the guitar he played on stage. He was scheduled again for
this year.....R.I.P. Ronnie Montrose.

Farrell

[64Guitars]

Very sad news, indeed.  I, too, was unaware of his cancer.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/guitarist-ronnie-montrose-dead-at-64-20120304

Always loved Rock Candy from the debut Montrose album.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUeuAnMNDhA

[vincent]

this is the first i`ve heard of it. Ronnie and I were friends in Denver when we were just kids. I met him playing in 3.2 bars. [a friend of a friend kind of thing] taught me my first chords..and how to play "Gloria" about my first song. and taught me a scale.
Ronnie and his girl..[Jill] me and mine, lived together about a year. god-almighty I can tell you a couple of stories...
rest in peace.  Vincent

[chapperz66]

Great shame.  A hero of mine.  Gamma - what a band.

Paul

[phantasm777]

unfortunately, at our ages, we're going to be hearing about a lot of entertainers, friends, etc. passing on. many of my fav rockers are in 60's and 70's now. add in thier hard life style (some) and thier bodies can only take so much. even if they quit by now.
it's nothing to look forward to but, it is a part of life.

[64Guitars]

Guitarist Ronnie Montrose ... died last night (Saturday, 3 March) after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer.

Sadly, it wasn't the cancer that killed him. Turns out he shot himself with a .38-caliber revolver.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17675175

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/04/montrose-death-a-suicide-coroner-reports.html

He'd actually overcome the cancer, according to his friend Michael Molenda (editor of Guitar Player magazine).