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Broken Hearts & Broken Strings - Upfront Magazine (July 2007) The City's Crown Prince of the melancholy, Ron has owned open mics in the downtown scene for the past few years. His Open Mic Surgery at Phog Lounge every Monday night is a revolving cast of characters and his Open Mic at Sky Lounge on Tuesdays always brings out some of the city's finest voices. His latest release, last year's theroadinbetween, has been gaining some stunning accolades from across the country, even being showcased on CBC Radio 3, used by CBC icon Stuart MacLean in his Vinyl Cafe program, as well as being featured in CBC's summer program 11 Cameras. The album hit #1 on CJAM 91.5FM's charts as well as charting in the Top 20 on CJSF in Burnaby, BC, Top 30 on CIUT in Totonto and Top 10 on CHRW in London, as well as spending three months on the National Top 200 Campus College Radio Charts. He's criss crossed the country a few times in support and shows no signs of slowing down. Easily one of the city's finest singer/songwriters in years. What was your inspiration for getting into music and who inspired you to start writing your own songs? I was more forced into music rather than inspired to take it up. My parents signed me up for piano lessons when I turned 5 and had me playing drums in their country band The Corn Huskers by time I was 7. My early writing influences were Bruce Fleming, an old piano teacher who thankfully threw Bach out the window and enticed me to improv and create music. Another was my cousin Phil who showed me some typical song structures one day which helped give shape to my chaotic little piano creations. Paul Simon inspired me to dump the keys and start writing on guitar. What musical projects - past and present - have you been involved with and what has been the most satisfying? I've been a solo artist for the past decade and love the freedom that comes with that. Before that I played in a short-lived local band called THE RAN that was made up of a bunch of University of Windsor students. I also played drums in some high school bands that never saw the light of day. What has been your greatest personal accomplishment as a musician so far? Staying alive singing my own songs. How do you feel about the local music scene right now? I think it's very healthy and vibrant. There are boatloads of talent in this city. Pretty much seven days a week you can catch a quality local live show. How do you approach writing a new song to make it your own? With as little thought process as possible. Usually the melody and chord structures develop simultaneously with the melody leading the chords and the necessary voicings. Often the tone of things is inspired by a lyric that I've scribbled down while driving on the 401 at 130 km/h. Once a song is started I prefer not to stop until it's finished, whether that takes 30 minutes or 10 hours. Is writing for yourself different than when (if) you write for/with a bull band? Nope. When I write with an intention only shit comes out. How do you feel solo singer/songwriter types are viewed by the public in comparison to full band performers? It's a fairly accepted thing these days. The economic climate demands it which is the result of so little money available for full bands. It's just plain tough to split $20 amongst 5 guys. But I generally prefer to be part of a full band experience or see one. There are more layers to get lost in. What musicians do you enjoy watching in the local scene? I think Tara Watts is writing some pretty amazing songs at the moment. Yellow Wood always puts on a great show. I love old time music and Kelly "Mr. Chill" Hoppe and Greg Cox do it as good as any one. "Hardest working man in town, Ron works on his songs/craft and it shows." Adam Fox (Ten Year Drought) "Ron's ability to write gentle yet effective pieces is his main strength, next to his soothing voice. He refines the lost art of acoustic/folk and brings life into an older style to make it entirely brand new and compelling." Daniel Victor (Neverending White Lights) "Ron tells his stories with great conviction, his voice and his playing takes you to the place and time that he is singing about, and that is truly a great talent." Kelly Nicholls (The Hung Jury) "Simply amazing, Ron submits to his emotions and transfers them to prose and song. An angelic voice and an exquisite touch on the guitar, all rolled into an incredible storyteller that makes him quite the rare gem." Nikos Behulis (Vice Aerial) "As a musician he possesses the greatest qualities, Humanity and Truth." George Manury "I really respect Ron - I love his sound, his lyrics and the spirit behind his music and I want really good things for him. He has been a great influence in my own music...I have wrote songs during some of his sets...because his music makes me think and feel...and his sultry tones are super." Tara Watts |