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Ron Davies - Biography
Ron was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He started playing guitar and writing songs at the age of eleven and by seventeen, had written an album’s worth of excellent material for The Wailers, a Seattle based band of national fame.
At twenty, Ron signed with A&M Records and recorded his first album, “Silent Song Through The Land,” produced by Chad Stewart. Leon Russell’s performance on the record was an outstanding contribution and one of the songs, “It Ain’t Easy,” was later picked up by Three Dog Night and became the title cut of their album.
His writing also came to the attention of David Bowie, who recorded Ron’s material on his “Ziggy Stardust” album. John Kay (of Steppenwolf), Dave Edmunds, Maria Muldaur, Helen Reddy, Chris Smithers, Long John Baldry, Joe Cocker and Merry Clayton are only a few of the long list of artists who recorded Ron’s songs during his L.A. days.
His next album for A&M, produced by Ron and Grammy-award winner Tommy Vicarri, was called “U.F.O.” It engaged the impressive talents of world-class musicians such as Billy Preston, Andy Newmark, Wilton Felder, David Spinoza, Clarence McDonald and the Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar” girl, Claudia Lennear. In the music magazine, “Rock,” journalist John Bream declared Ron Davies, “the best new talent to emerge this year!”
(Note: These two A&M albums, “Silent Song Through The Land” and “U.F.O.,” are collector's items and are currently in reproduction. These limited edition Japanese pressings have been digitally remastered and feature the original tracks packaged in a paper sleeve. Universal. 2005.)
In the late eighties, Ron moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where his songs have been recorded by Anne Murray, Dobie Grey, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jerry Jeff Walker, The Thompson Brothers Band, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill and Gail Davies. Two of his songs appeared on the Grammy nominated Joan Baez album, “Play Me Backwards” and he starred as the lead character in the George Jones video, “Cold Hard Truth.”
Ron’s original compositions deal with subjects ranging from jaded, faded love to hope and new beginnings – from the perils of the street and the world today to the more introspective trials and triumphs of the individual. Sometimes soothing and sometimes startling, Ron’s songs are always relevant and/or humoresque. They roll and flow – like a night in the life. Lyrically and musically, Ron Davies is more than just enjoyable listening -- he is a must for any connoisseur of poetry and music.
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