Biography
Beginning his professional journey as a session player, Ronnie Montrose backed Van Morrison, Boz Scaggs, and Edgar Winter before establishing his own ensemble in 1973. The group, which took its name from the guitarist, included vocalist Sammy Hagar, bassist Bill Church, and drummer Denny Carmassi. Their self-titled debut appeared in 1974, after which Alan Fitzgerald stepped in for Church. The follow-up, Paper Money, surfaced the next year and solidified the quartet’s standing among the era’s leading hard-rock outfits. Once the supporting tour concluded, however, Hagar was dismissed. Bob James assumed vocal duties while keyboardist Jim Alcivar came aboard, yet the subsequent releases—Warner Brothers Presents Montrose in 1975 and Jump on It in 1976—failed to replicate earlier commercial success.
After Jump on It, Ronnie Montrose disbanded the project and launched a solo career with the all-instrumental Open Fire in 1978. He next assembled the hard-rock outfit Gamma, which issued three albums from 1979 through 1982. Following Gamma’s dissolution that year, Montrose resumed solo work, issuing the understated Territory in 1983 and the vigorous, well-received Mean—credited to Gamma—in 1987. The Speed of Sound arrived in 1988, succeeded in 1990 by The Diva Station, a largely instrumental blend of soul, pop, metal, and jazz.
Shifting greater attention to production, Montrose nevertheless continued recording under his own name, delivering Mutatis Mutandis in 1991, Music from Here in 1994, Mr. Bones in 1996, Roll Over and Play Live! in 1999, and Bearings later that same year. Gamma reconvened for a fourth album in 2000. Throughout the final twelve years of his life, Montrose maintained an active schedule of production, session appearances, and touring, even while contending with prostate cancer in the late 2000s. On March 3, 2012, he died by self-inflicted gunshot. His last studio album, the guest-laden 10x10, was released in 2017; the project centered on the core trio of Montrose, Styx bassist Ricky Phillips, and Kiss drummer Eric Singer, with contributions from Sammy Hagar, Phil Collen, Glenn Hughes, Tommy Shaw, and Edgar Winter.
After Jump on It, Ronnie Montrose disbanded the project and launched a solo career with the all-instrumental Open Fire in 1978. He next assembled the hard-rock outfit Gamma, which issued three albums from 1979 through 1982. Following Gamma’s dissolution that year, Montrose resumed solo work, issuing the understated Territory in 1983 and the vigorous, well-received Mean—credited to Gamma—in 1987. The Speed of Sound arrived in 1988, succeeded in 1990 by The Diva Station, a largely instrumental blend of soul, pop, metal, and jazz.
Shifting greater attention to production, Montrose nevertheless continued recording under his own name, delivering Mutatis Mutandis in 1991, Music from Here in 1994, Mr. Bones in 1996, Roll Over and Play Live! in 1999, and Bearings later that same year. Gamma reconvened for a fourth album in 2000. Throughout the final twelve years of his life, Montrose maintained an active schedule of production, session appearances, and touring, even while contending with prostate cancer in the late 2000s. On March 3, 2012, he died by self-inflicted gunshot. His last studio album, the guest-laden 10x10, was released in 2017; the project centered on the core trio of Montrose, Styx bassist Ricky Phillips, and Kiss drummer Eric Singer, with contributions from Sammy Hagar, Phil Collen, Glenn Hughes, Tommy Shaw, and Edgar Winter.
Albums
Singles
