Bio_Final2

Want to learn to play or advance in your guitar playing? I can help you do that.

I'm sure you want to know who is going to be your teacher, so I’ll give you a background of Ron Cook.

1963: I was eleven years old, had my drums for two weeks, a neighbor heard me practicing through an open window and asked if I wanted to be in a band:

BINGO!!!

I borrowed a snare from a friend to use as a mount tom.

In 1969, our guitar player entered the Air Force and at that time, I started playing guitar. We just couldn’t find anyone that would fit in with our style, so I bought a Fender Electric XII (put six strings on it) and the BIGGEST amp I could find, an NSC 100-watt with a two-fifteen speaker cab (Altec Lansing) and played that night. I had messed around with an acoustic since I got my drums, so I almost knew what I was doing-ALMOST. I actually played bass for about two years during this period since that’s what bands were looking for; bass players that could sing harmonies. That was me (as soon as I learned enough to get in the door).

1970: A lot happened between ’65 and ’75. I made the first record (a 45) and three or four followed, In ‘70 I came back to Denver from Oklahoma to make the first LP with Lee Sims. Then in ’72 I got out of country-western and moved to a show band that played clubs with no dance floor. We did comedy, music, and I even had to do a soft-shoe with a hat and cane! I had my own band, Indio Rose, who was the first to do “Glamour Rock” as far as I know. We were good enough to audition for Barry Fay, who hooked us up with Marty Wolf (produced the last live Doobie Bros concert) and Nate Feld. These were big names back then. Anyway, it was all rock and roll until 1976 and the, at that time, number one country-western club wanted us to play 6 nights a week, 50 weeks a year. We learned a whole bunch of country and went to work. We ended up working with tons of #1 hit-makers that came into town because we were the backup band for KBRQ Radio.

Since we played the same place every night for 9 years, we rehearsed three times a week. I guess you can imagine how many songs we learned in that 9 years. I started writing songs during that period, too. A producer from Great American Music heard me and I got a job making jingles and commercials for everything from short movies to car and furniture dealers. It was a cool gig because you never did the same thing twice. Always a challenge… then move on to a new one. I loved that gig.

I went on the road in 1974 for the entire year and played all over the western US and Canada. That was a grind but I learned how to drive in every conceivable condition. In 1980 it was time to rock n’ roll again and I joined All Over the Road. This was a killer rock band and we played all over Denver. The volume, energy, and alcohol took its toll and I went back to the Zanzibar in 1981. An oil company sponsored the band and we went through all of those moves. In 1985, the Z Bar cut back to 3 nights a week and we had to find more work. That’s when I went to the Trail Dust Steak House (six nights)

I’ve been with many different bands for the last eight years. (me)

I have played all kinds of gigs: steak house, concerts, TV shows, used car lots, private parties, strip bars, rooftops, basements, theaters, hotels, and a few backyards.

The final nail has been driven into the coffin of a 45 year career in January of 2009. The steak house has cut back to just two nights a week and there is nowhere left in Denver to play that offers anymore than two or three nights a week. So it’s time to share all of the licks and tricks that I’ve learned over the last 45 years. I’m re-starting my teaching journey. I taught guitar for a couple of years in 2001-03 for Rocky Mountain Studios, so I have experience teaching professionally. I’ve kept up with the trends and learn new songs constantly.

THAT’S ENOUGH OF MY BACKGROUND…I SHOULD WRITE A BOOK!!!!!