Life of a Roadie - The Gypsy in Me: Featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum - Paperback

by Ronnie Rush (Author)

Reviews: "I got the book and will be taking it on my flight to London...So cool, can't wait man..." - Brian Ray, Guitarist for Paul McCartney "Ronnie, You did a damn fine job on the manuscript...I wish you much success with this... and I do hope I get an autographed copy" - Joe Frank, of Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (PLAYBOY RECORDS) "Ronnie, You have a prodigious ability to call up old memories. Fashioning those memories into a narrative and drawing conclusions about what they mean and what you learned as a result is quite an achievement of contemplation and introspection." - Will Lyman, narrator FRONTLINE (PBS Television) Synopsis: In all of Rock 'n Roll, it was the least of all cool jobs, but everyone who did it, wanted no other job: Roadie. No show ended or started without them; they were there hours before and hours after a concert. It paid minimum wage with no benefits. But if you toured with the right group, you were dead in the middle of history. Few Roadies write their history, their personal stories, their pain and joy. But in Ronnie Rush's book, we see a slice of Rock history that does not try to bridge all of rock 'n roll music; the words place a small stone in the foundation of the growth of one group's life and travels. (Ross du Clair, Chief Engineer, Clear Channel Radio, Sacramento, CA) I've been to hell and back and shook hands with the devil, and I'm still walking tall without the smell of smoke upon me. -Ronnie Rush This book is about my experiences in the music business, starting from when I was a roadie with all the experiences I had with the artists I worked for and continuing through my times in radio until my retirement. The title, Life of a Roadie: the Gypsy in Me, describes how it was that early on, even while growing up, I had a gypsy-like personality that gave me the capacity to travel the United States. Life of a Roadie also tells about how I grew up and who I am, the history and personality that drove me to be able to handle the road and the success I experienced. I'll be taking the reader on a true-life journey that was mostly brought on by luck, circumstance, experience, and personal drive to succeed. There are three things I have always told people when I was approached and asked for advice while I was in the music business: Never give up, never give up, never give up

Author Biography

Ronnie Rush started his journey in the music business long ago. At the early age of 2 he started to get the gift of gab. Then at the age of 10, he started to think of a radio name. Ronnie's influences came from radio and the personalities that were blowing through the radio speakers, in the early 60's. Such talents as The Great Robert W. Morgan and The Real Don Steele, Ronnie's favorite jock of all time. Soon, in his late teens, Ronnie was meeting musicians and got an offer to be a roadie. As soon as a year or so had passed the group Ronnie worked for had got an offer to be the front band and tour with such acts as the Drifters and Shirelles . What an experience! He said, Wow here I am on tour and meeting all these great musicians I was listening to as a kid on the radio. Ronnie was then introduced to, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. They needed a roadie to go on tour with them and of course he accepted. Life changed at that moment. Now, the level of musicians Ronnie was meeting, all had hits in the current top 40 Billboard magazine. Even on tour we had time to stop and see a concert. There I was walking back stage with HJF&R to meet Karen & Richard Carpenter. Their band called The Carpenters. Then it was off to Chet Huntley's Ranch in Bozeman Montana to do a benefit concert. At the resort we all got our own bungalow cabin. By the time we did the show we were having a meal with such stars as, The Skipper from Gilligan's Island. Miss Donna Douglas of the Beverly Hillbillies, sat right next to me while we ate. Wow, there at the end of the table was Joey Heatherton (she did the SERTA mattress commercial) This all was around the mid 70's. Ronnie continues to say, even checking into the Holiday Inn you could turn around and see other artist hanging around waiting to get a room. Such artists like Seals & Crofts Boz Scaggs to mention a few. Those were the days! I do know one thing is for sure, nothing comes to anyone easy. You have to work hard and even harder to get over that hump that will eventually welcome the arrival of all your hard work.