Remembering Ronnie Montrose

RONNIE MONTROSE was always a "guitarist's guitarist" -- a musician better regarded by his peers than the public at large.
Montrose died this past weekend, age 64, of prostate cancer.
The first paying gig I ever saw was Montrose at the CONCORD PAVILION.
When I told my guitar-playing cousin about the show immediately after the gig, I remember my astonishment when he regaled me with Montrose's living legacy.
As I said, Montrose's stature among his fellow guitarists was staggering.
He played for Van Morrison, Boz Scaggs and Edgar Winter -- that's Ronnie on "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride" -- before forming his own band, named MONTROSE, in 1972.
This combo's sound helped pave the way for California hard rock to come -- it helped having young SAMMY HAGAR on lead vocals.
Rock writer Eddie Trunk tells how Montrose the band has been cited "as a blueprint for Van Halen's early recordings."
"Montrose has become a landmark for many hard rock and metal artists. Montrose has inspired bands like Iron Maiden," Trunk writes.
Ronnie continued in the music business after the demise of his self-named band, playing until shortly before his death.
His legacy has always loomed large over other musicians, and that will continue, too.