Mick Ronson
Michael "Mick" Ronson (26 May 1946 – 29 April 1993) was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie as one of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session musician who recorded with Bowie and Morrissey, as well as a sideman in touring bands with Van Morrison and Bob Dylan.
He also recorded several solo albums, the most notable example of which was Slaughter on 10th Avenue, which reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart. Ronson played with various bands after his time with Bowie. He was named the 64th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone in 2003 and 41st in 2012 by the same magazine.
Early life
Michael Ronson was born in Kingston upon Hull in 1946. He was the first son of George and Minnie Ronson and had two younger siblings, Maggi and David. As a child he was trained classically to play piano, recorder, violin, and (later) the harmonium. He initially wanted to be a cellist, but moved to guitar upon discovering the music of Duane Eddy, whose sound on the bass notes of his guitar sounded to Ronson similar to that of the cello. He joined his first band, The Mariners, in November 1963, when he was 17. His stage debut with The Mariners was in support of the Keith Herd Band at Brough Village Hall, a gig for which the band travelled 35 miles and got paid 10 shillings (50p). While Ronson was working with The Mariners, another local Hull group – The Crestas – recruited him on the advice of The Mariners' bassist John Griffiths. With Ronson on board the Crestas gained a solid reputation, making regular appearances at local halls: Mondays at the Halfway House in Hull, Thursdays at the Ferryboat Hotel, Fridays at the Regal Ballroom in Beverley, and Sundays at the Duke of Cumberland in North Ferriby.
Podcasts:
Mick Ronson
ALBUMS
- Slaughter on 10th Avenue released: 2013
- Secret Sessions released: 1999
- Play Don’t Worry released: 1997
- Only After Dark released: 1994
- Yui Orta released: 1990
- Slaughter on 10th Avenue released:
- Heaven and Hull released:
Born: 1946-05-26
Died: 1993-04-29
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Play Don't Worry
by: Mick RonsonWalking down an empty road
I saw a man in old grey clothes
A stranger
Passing by he smiled at me
But when I looked I realised the danger
For his eyes they looked so empty and cold
And something told me that I'm gonna be rolled
In my pocket only cents and dimes
But then for them he'd gladly kill me
Walking past and walking fast
I managed just to slip around a corner
Thought he'd hear my running feet
As I went pounding down the street
Like thunder
Well I've never heard my heart beat so fast
And I've never been so scared in the past
And I never ever realised
That this place could be evil to me
Billy Porter
You didn't tell me that I needed a gun
Billy Porter
When you wrote you said
That this place is fun
What have I done
Well I've never heard my heart beat so fast
And I've never been so scared in the past
And I never ever realised
That this place could be evil to me
Let me tell ya'
Now Billy's smart and Billy's tough
He's good to have
When the going's rough
He told me
"Don't go out on your own at night
For if you do you'll have to fight
Stay by me"
Now he's teaching me
Each and every day
And I think that in this place
I might stay
And I never, ever realised
What a roughneck I would turn out to be
Billy Porter
You never told me that I needed a gun
Billy Porter
When you wrote you said
That this place is fun
What can be done
Billy Porter
You never told me that I needed a gun
Billy Porter
When you wrote you said
That this place is fun
Billy Porter
You never told me that I'd be on the run
Billy Porter
What would father say if he saw his son
Billy Porter
You never told me that I needed a gun
Billy Porter
When you wrote you said
That this place is fun
Latest News for: Mick Ronson
Iron City Houserockers' third album coming to CD with extra tracks
Hastings Tribune
19 Feb 2025
First rat for Hull trail to honour Mick Ronson revealed
Superstar chef Daniel Humm proposes to ‘Succession’ star Annabelle Dexter-Jones with a topless painting of herself
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