Ron Lauback
Encyclopedia
Ron Lauback is a guitarist/bassist/songwriter from Syracuse, New York. Ron is currently performing with Dan Elliott
and The Monterays
and celebrated his fiftieth year in the music business in 2008.
, classical
and pop music
as a child. Ron's first musical instrument was a ukelele, which he started learning in his pre-teens.
It would take the influence of rock and roll
in the mid 1950s to make make young Ron take up the electric guitar
. Early musical influences include Duane Eddy
, The Everly Brothers
and most importantly Chuck Berry
.
By 1958 Ron had formed East Syracuse's first rock and roll
band The Sabres. The Sabres specialized in instrumental music and early rock artists like the afore-mentioned Chuck Berry
, The Ventures
and Dale Hawkins
.
region prompted them to record a single ("Seaweed" (written by Ron Lauback) b/w "The McCoy" a Ventures song) which received airplay on WNDR radio in 1962 ("Seaweed" was produced by Joe Raposo
at Raposo Studios). The Sabres played all the regional teen dances and even backed up Bobby Vee
at The Three Rivers Inn one time for DJ Peter C. Cavenaugh The band changed its name to The Jazzmen in 1963, but split the following year. The British Invasion
having rendered their Instrumental
sound out of fashion.
During this time Ron also graduated from Syracuse University
(1964) and took a job with Bristol Laboratories (now known as Bristol-Myers Squibb
).
), keyboardist George Day
, Si Sifer (drums), Dave Maechen (vocals/guitar) and Bill Willis (bass). The Saint and the Sinners started out as a typical mid 60's garage/dance band before evolving into a soul/horn band, not unlike Wilmer and the Dukes (another regionally popular band). The Saint and the Sinners fought it out with both The Dukes and The Monterays on the local dance circuit.
The band could be seen regularly playing the hip clubs and dances of the era. These places include: Hewitt's, The Pin-O-Rama in Oswego, S.U. frat blasts, Carlsys, The Turn On in Downtown Syr., and other local high school dances. It was at this time that the Sinners made their first recordings "LIVE" (naturally) at St. Matthews School in East Syracuse.
The Saint and the Sinners spent the Summer of 1967 as the "virtual" house band of The Forest Hotel in Sylvan Beach
, New York
. ""The popularity of the band was established when we played all summer at The Forest Hotel," Ron states. "People of that generation still remember us from performing there. Stop in and ask Captain John at his restaurant in Sylvan Beach as to who was one of the best bands to play at the Forest."
Soon after this engagement, the group underwent another split, with George Day leaving (he would later surface in The Monterays.) The Sinners soldiered on, acquiring saxophonist Frank Segroi and organist (and former Campus Walker) Larry Brennan. Ron-"We completely changed our style. Soul music became the popular music of young adults, therefore, we changed with the times. Now since I played trumpet as a youth in high school, it was natural to play dual harmonies with Frank on many of these songs. This was due to the horn charts that were inherent in the music of that time period." With a change in style, came a change in venues, as The Sinners began expanding their base, performing at Italia East (where their second record was made), Bob's Inn in Brewerton, The Turn On, The Red Dog, and more S.U. (Syracuse University
) frat parties. "We also played an O.C.C. (Onondaga Community College
) commencement" According to Ron Lauback "I got up in line next to the chancellor of the college, and shook hands with the graduating students and wished them good luck."
The Saint and the Sinners continued until Summer 1968, when Tommy Forrest left to re-join The Monterays
(Frank Sgroi would resurface with The Seven
), and Bill Willis joined The Coachmen Featuring The Reflections,one of CNY's top R&B/Soul bands of that era, and then joined with local guitar great Gary Zamory in Iron Horse.
After The Saint and the Sinners folded Ron and George Day briefly worked with The Monterays before forming Airborne
(1969). This group featured a female lead singer (Karen Franklin
) and was even more soul based, but Ron inexplicably left music a year later to devote more time to his family and career.
Airborne did record a number of demos that were remastered and given limited release on the 3 Records label in 2000.
, Southern rock
and Heavy metal
acts like Deep Purple
(guitarist Richie Blackmore being a seminal influence), Judas Priest
, Styx
, Blue Öyster Cult
, Lynyrd Skynyrd
and Rush
. Ron began recording his own demos at home and studied the keyboard as well.
and also home to much of the work done by Ron Wray for the History of Syracuse Music releases) which still remains unreleased. Though Trinity
was successful on the nightclub scene, Ron wanted to return to the rock music
that was his first love, and tried to re-form The Saint and the Sinners which soon changed their name to East Side Story (later East Side). East Side specialized in classic oldies and seventies hard rock. This band lasted (with virtually the same line-up) for fifteen years before folding in 2000. Some of the members of East Side were Graham Daniels (1984–2000), Larry Brennan (1984–2000), Tom DiRenzo (1988–2000), John Mirra (1991–1993; 1997–2000), Earl "the Pearl" Hamilton (formerly of The New York Flyers now with The Gary Dunes
Band) (1994–1997), Dave Meachen (1984–1987) and Barry Glisker (1984–1989).
invited Ron to take Jack Abert's place in The Monterays.
Ron moved from Bass to Lead Guitar with the departure of Dave Moziak in 2005. The Monterays perform around 100 shows a year and are working on a new album.
Ron and his son Ronnie Dark were part of the pit band for East Syracuse-Minoa's production of "Grease
" (performed February 9 and 10, 2007)
The Monterays
were the lead in band for the 2007 Taste of Syracuse SAMMY
(Syracuse Area Music Awards) Pre-Awards Show (held on June 1, 2007)
Also, Ron and The Monterays
were one of the featured performers at the Syracuse Nationals
(July 21 and 22, 2007). The Monterays
performed on the Stan Colella Stage at the New York State Fair
A re-recorded version of "Seaweed
" by The RLB was used as the closing theme to Around the Tracks, the auto racing
program hosted by Joe Marotta and broadcast on WTLA
AM (April 2008-January 2009).
Ron is the network announcer for his son Ronnie Dark's radio program THE WAX MUSEUM, broadcast Sunday nights 7-10pm on LOVE RADIO WVOA 95.3 FM (and on the internet at http://www.wvoaradio.com/listenonline)
The Monterays
appeared with Gary Lewis and the Playboys and The Tokens
at the Broome County Veterans Arena on August 29, 2009.
of The Shadows
, Bob Bogle
of The Ventures
, Richie Blackmore (Deep Purple
), Gary Moore
, Dan Huff and loves heavy rock music (Lillian Axe
, Giant
, Alice in Chains
and Stone Temple Pilots
for instance).
His guitar style has changed somewhat over the years as well. In the 1960s he played Fender Jazzmaster, Gibson 335 and Rickenbacker
thru Fender
and Ampeg
Amps. During the hard rock
/metal
craze of the 1980s Ron wielded Charvel's
and Ibanez Guitars with Peavey Amplification. Today Ron's main axe is a custom-wired Fender Stratocaster
(designed by legendary Syracuse musician, the late Dave Pasternack). He uses a combination of Peavey
and Fender amps. Ron is a fan of Digitech pedalboards, and has used them widely throughout the nineties and the 2000s.
Ron Lauback has influenced many Syracuse-based artists over the years. Dan Elliott
has stated in interviews that Ron and The Sabres influenced him to form his first band The Dimensions as well as the helping Jack Abert and John Wisnewski start The Monterays. Other Syracuse talent that Ron has influenced include Shane Prue (ex-Wishpool
and solo artist), Brian Williams
and Dan Wagner
(Wagner), Steven Alexander
(The Erika DeSocio Band) and Dan Stabile (ex-Distorted Views).
Ron and his son Ronnie Dark record music together under the name RLB. They have recorded seven albums together since 1992 and composed music for the 1999 motion picture The Secret Life of Horace Gimple. Their music has been featured on both The Homegrown Music Radio Network and Soundcheck
, which is broadcast on TK99 (99.5fm).
(examples: "High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography Assay for Dane Salt Potassium(-)-N-(1-Methoxycarbonylpropene-2yl)-p-hydroxyphenylglycine" written by Naseem Muhammad, Peter S. Tsai and Ronald G. Lauback; Affiliation: Bristol Laboratories, Division of Bristol-Myers Squibb
Co. Syracuse
, New York
, USA--Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies, Volume 5, Issue 7 1982).
"Specific High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Ampicillin in Bulks, Injectables, Capsules, and Oral Suspensions by Reverse-Phase Ion-Pair Chromatography" written by Ronald G. Lauback, James J. Rice, B. Bleiberg, N. Muhammad and S. A. Hanna; Affiliation: Bristol Laboratories, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Co. Syracuse
, New York
, USA--Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies, Volume 7, Issue 6 (May 1984)
Ron Lauback is currently Vice President of Science for Hanford Pharmecuticals, based out of Syracuse, New York
Dan Elliott
Daniel Michael Elliott , commonly known as Dan Elliott, currently anchors KXTV News10 Good Morning from 5-7am with Kelly Jackson and News10 Midday from 11-11:30am with Jennifer Smith and solo on Friday....
and The Monterays
The Monterays
The Monterays, featuring the distinctive vocals of Dan Elliott, are the longest working band in Upstate New York. Formed in 1962, The Monterays were well established on the Syracuse scene in the 1960s, and after a decade layoff in the 1970s, continue to play over 100 dates a year.The band was...
and celebrated his fiftieth year in the music business in 2008.
Beginnings (1942-1958)
Ron was born on September 11, 1942 in Syracuse, New York to George and Helen Lauback. There is a long musical history in the Lauback family (with Ron's mother Helen Lauback being a music teacher in the East Syracuse School District in the 1940s), with young Ron being exposed to jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
as a child. Ron's first musical instrument was a ukelele, which he started learning in his pre-teens.
It would take the influence of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
in the mid 1950s to make make young Ron take up the electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
. Early musical influences include Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he had a string of hit records, produced by Lee Hazlewood, which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" sound, including "Rebel Rouser", "Peter Gunn", and "Because They're Young"...
, The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...
and most importantly Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
.
By 1958 Ron had formed East Syracuse's first rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band The Sabres. The Sabres specialized in instrumental music and early rock artists like the afore-mentioned Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
, The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
and Dale Hawkins
Dale Hawkins
Delmar Allen "Dale" Hawkins was a pioneer American rock singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist who was often called the architect of swamp rock boogie...
.
The Sabres Years (1958-1964)
The Sabres's popularity in the Central New YorkCentral New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
region prompted them to record a single ("Seaweed" (written by Ron Lauback) b/w "The McCoy" a Ventures song) which received airplay on WNDR radio in 1962 ("Seaweed" was produced by Joe Raposo
Joe Raposo
Joseph Guilherme Raposo, OIH was a Portuguese-American composer, songwriter, pianist, television writer and lyricist, best known for his work on the children's television series Sesame Street, for which he wrote the theme song, as well as classic songs such as "Bein' Green" and "C is for Cookie"...
at Raposo Studios). The Sabres played all the regional teen dances and even backed up Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee
Robert Thomas Velline , known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.-Career:...
at The Three Rivers Inn one time for DJ Peter C. Cavenaugh The band changed its name to The Jazzmen in 1963, but split the following year. The British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
having rendered their Instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
sound out of fashion.
During this time Ron also graduated from Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
(1964) and took a job with Bristol Laboratories (now known as Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb , often referred to as BMS, is a pharmaceutical company, headquartered in New York City. The company was formed in 1989, following the merger of its predecessors Bristol-Myers and the Squibb Corporation...
).
The Saint and the Sinners (1965-1968)| Airborne (1969-1970)
Ron next worked with The Saint and the Sinners (1965–1968) featuring lead singer Tommy Forrest (ex-The MonteraysThe Monterays
The Monterays, featuring the distinctive vocals of Dan Elliott, are the longest working band in Upstate New York. Formed in 1962, The Monterays were well established on the Syracuse scene in the 1960s, and after a decade layoff in the 1970s, continue to play over 100 dates a year.The band was...
), keyboardist George Day
George Day
George Day may refer to:*George Day , Bishop of Chichester, 1543–1551, and vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge in 1537*George S. Day, marketing specialist in the 1970s...
, Si Sifer (drums), Dave Maechen (vocals/guitar) and Bill Willis (bass). The Saint and the Sinners started out as a typical mid 60's garage/dance band before evolving into a soul/horn band, not unlike Wilmer and the Dukes (another regionally popular band). The Saint and the Sinners fought it out with both The Dukes and The Monterays on the local dance circuit.
The band could be seen regularly playing the hip clubs and dances of the era. These places include: Hewitt's, The Pin-O-Rama in Oswego, S.U. frat blasts, Carlsys, The Turn On in Downtown Syr., and other local high school dances. It was at this time that the Sinners made their first recordings "LIVE" (naturally) at St. Matthews School in East Syracuse.
The Saint and the Sinners spent the Summer of 1967 as the "virtual" house band of The Forest Hotel in Sylvan Beach
Sylvan Beach
Sylvan Beach may refer to*Sylvan Beach, New York, a village in Oneida County*A hamlet in the state of New York in the towns of Tyrone, New York in Schuyler County and Wayne, New York in Steuben County....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. ""The popularity of the band was established when we played all summer at The Forest Hotel," Ron states. "People of that generation still remember us from performing there. Stop in and ask Captain John at his restaurant in Sylvan Beach as to who was one of the best bands to play at the Forest."
Soon after this engagement, the group underwent another split, with George Day leaving (he would later surface in The Monterays.) The Sinners soldiered on, acquiring saxophonist Frank Segroi and organist (and former Campus Walker) Larry Brennan. Ron-"We completely changed our style. Soul music became the popular music of young adults, therefore, we changed with the times. Now since I played trumpet as a youth in high school, it was natural to play dual harmonies with Frank on many of these songs. This was due to the horn charts that were inherent in the music of that time period." With a change in style, came a change in venues, as The Sinners began expanding their base, performing at Italia East (where their second record was made), Bob's Inn in Brewerton, The Turn On, The Red Dog, and more S.U. (Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
) frat parties. "We also played an O.C.C. (Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College is an accredited two-year educational institution that services Onondaga County, New York at three campuses. Onondaga Community College is a college of the State University of New York system and one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York...
) commencement" According to Ron Lauback "I got up in line next to the chancellor of the college, and shook hands with the graduating students and wished them good luck."
The Saint and the Sinners continued until Summer 1968, when Tommy Forrest left to re-join The Monterays
The Monterays
The Monterays, featuring the distinctive vocals of Dan Elliott, are the longest working band in Upstate New York. Formed in 1962, The Monterays were well established on the Syracuse scene in the 1960s, and after a decade layoff in the 1970s, continue to play over 100 dates a year.The band was...
(Frank Sgroi would resurface with The Seven
The Seven
"The Seven" is the 123rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 13th episode for the 7th season. It aired on February 1, 1996.-Plot:...
), and Bill Willis joined The Coachmen Featuring The Reflections,one of CNY's top R&B/Soul bands of that era, and then joined with local guitar great Gary Zamory in Iron Horse.
After The Saint and the Sinners folded Ron and George Day briefly worked with The Monterays before forming Airborne
Airborne (band)
Airborne is an American contemporary jazz / smooth jazz / world fusion band, formed in the late 1980s. Airborne the proclaimed “Musical Peacemakers” of Contemporary Jazz sends out an Inspirational Message of Hope to the World. They are a multi-cultural jazz band from New Haven, Connecticut who has...
(1969). This group featured a female lead singer (Karen Franklin
Karen Franklin
Karen Franklin is a forensic psychologist known for her research on the psychosocial motivations of antigay violence perpetrators. She is adjunct faculty at the California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University.-Career:...
) and was even more soul based, but Ron inexplicably left music a year later to devote more time to his family and career.
Airborne did record a number of demos that were remastered and given limited release on the 3 Records label in 2000.
Retirement (1970-1979)
Even though Ron "retired" from live performances, he continued to hone his guitar skills, acquiring influences from then current Hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
, Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
and Heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
acts like Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
(guitarist Richie Blackmore being a seminal influence), Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
, Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
and Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
. Ron began recording his own demos at home and studied the keyboard as well.
Re-Activity (1980-2000)
In 1980, old friend (and fellow ex-Sinner) Dave Meachen persuaded Ron to perform again, along with vocalist Kathy Monaco this time in a folk based group called Trinity (Ron played bass for this group). Trinity recorded an albums' worth of material at Dayson Studios (owned by George DayGeorge Day
George Day may refer to:*George Day , Bishop of Chichester, 1543–1551, and vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge in 1537*George S. Day, marketing specialist in the 1970s...
and also home to much of the work done by Ron Wray for the History of Syracuse Music releases) which still remains unreleased. Though Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
was successful on the nightclub scene, Ron wanted to return to the rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
that was his first love, and tried to re-form The Saint and the Sinners which soon changed their name to East Side Story (later East Side). East Side specialized in classic oldies and seventies hard rock. This band lasted (with virtually the same line-up) for fifteen years before folding in 2000. Some of the members of East Side were Graham Daniels (1984–2000), Larry Brennan (1984–2000), Tom DiRenzo (1988–2000), John Mirra (1991–1993; 1997–2000), Earl "the Pearl" Hamilton (formerly of The New York Flyers now with The Gary Dunes
Gary Dunes
Gary Francis Modugno , better known by the nickname/stage name Gary Dunes, is a morning drive time radio personality on WSEN FM in Syracuse, NY and the lead singer of the Gary Dunes Band and Dunes & The Del-Tunes.Dunes was raised in Westvale which is a suburb of Syracuse, NY...
Band) (1994–1997), Dave Meachen (1984–1987) and Barry Glisker (1984–1989).
The Monterays Era (2002-Present)
In January 2002, Dan ElliottDan Elliott
Daniel Michael Elliott , commonly known as Dan Elliott, currently anchors KXTV News10 Good Morning from 5-7am with Kelly Jackson and News10 Midday from 11-11:30am with Jennifer Smith and solo on Friday....
invited Ron to take Jack Abert's place in The Monterays.
Ron moved from Bass to Lead Guitar with the departure of Dave Moziak in 2005. The Monterays perform around 100 shows a year and are working on a new album.
Ron and his son Ronnie Dark were part of the pit band for East Syracuse-Minoa's production of "Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
" (performed February 9 and 10, 2007)
The Monterays
The Monterays
The Monterays, featuring the distinctive vocals of Dan Elliott, are the longest working band in Upstate New York. Formed in 1962, The Monterays were well established on the Syracuse scene in the 1960s, and after a decade layoff in the 1970s, continue to play over 100 dates a year.The band was...
were the lead in band for the 2007 Taste of Syracuse SAMMY
Sammy
-People:*DJ Sammy, a musician*Sammy Davis, Jr.*Sammy Ijaz*Sammy Sosa*Sammy Hagar*Sammy Cahn*Sammy Gravano*Sammy Fain*CeCe Sammy*Sammy Baugh*Sammy Kaye* Sammy Luftspring, Canadian champion welterweight boxer*Sammy McIlroy*Sammy Kershaw*Sammy Lee...
(Syracuse Area Music Awards) Pre-Awards Show (held on June 1, 2007)
Also, Ron and The Monterays
The Monterays
The Monterays, featuring the distinctive vocals of Dan Elliott, are the longest working band in Upstate New York. Formed in 1962, The Monterays were well established on the Syracuse scene in the 1960s, and after a decade layoff in the 1970s, continue to play over 100 dates a year.The band was...
were one of the featured performers at the Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
(July 21 and 22, 2007). The Monterays
The Monterays
The Monterays, featuring the distinctive vocals of Dan Elliott, are the longest working band in Upstate New York. Formed in 1962, The Monterays were well established on the Syracuse scene in the 1960s, and after a decade layoff in the 1970s, continue to play over 100 dates a year.The band was...
performed on the Stan Colella Stage at the New York State Fair
A re-recorded version of "Seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
" by The RLB was used as the closing theme to Around the Tracks, the auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
program hosted by Joe Marotta and broadcast on WTLA
WTLA
-External links:...
AM (April 2008-January 2009).
Ron is the network announcer for his son Ronnie Dark's radio program THE WAX MUSEUM, broadcast Sunday nights 7-10pm on LOVE RADIO WVOA 95.3 FM (and on the internet at http://www.wvoaradio.com/listenonline)
The Monterays
The Monterays
The Monterays, featuring the distinctive vocals of Dan Elliott, are the longest working band in Upstate New York. Formed in 1962, The Monterays were well established on the Syracuse scene in the 1960s, and after a decade layoff in the 1970s, continue to play over 100 dates a year.The band was...
appeared with Gary Lewis and the Playboys and The Tokens
The Tokens
The Tokens are an American male doo-wop-style vocal group from Brooklyn, New York. They are known best for their chart-scoring 1961 single, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" .-Career:...
at the Broome County Veterans Arena on August 29, 2009.
Influences and Musical Gear
Ron has had a wide variety of influences over the years. He enjoys the guitar playing of Hank MarvinHank Marvin
Hank Brian Marvin is an English guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist for The Shadows. The group, which primarily performed instrumentals, was formed as a backing band for vocalist Cliff Richard...
of The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
, Bob Bogle
Bob Bogle
Robert Lenard "Bob" Bogle was a founding member of the legendary instrumental combo group The Ventures. He and Don Wilson founded the group in 1958. Bogle was the lead guitarist and later bassist of the group...
of The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
, Richie Blackmore (Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
), Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
, Dan Huff and loves heavy rock music (Lillian Axe
Lillian Axe
Lillian Axe is a hard rock band from New Orleans who write and perform music from acoustic ballads to full out heavy metal anthems. Four studio recordings were released before they disbanded in 1995...
, Giant
Giant (band)
Giant is an American melodic hard rock band that was formed in 1987.The band consisted of founding members Dann Huff and Alan Pasqua , and had Dann's brother David Huff on drums and Mike Brignardello on bass....
, Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
and Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
for instance).
His guitar style has changed somewhat over the years as well. In the 1960s he played Fender Jazzmaster, Gibson 335 and Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
thru Fender
Fender
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, commonly referred to as simply Fender, of Scottsdale, Arizona is a manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster...
and Ampeg
Ampeg
Ampeg is primarily a musical instrument amplifier manufacturer headquartered in Woodinville, Washington, though they also manufacture guitars to a small extent...
Amps. During the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
/metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
craze of the 1980s Ron wielded Charvel's
Charvel
Charvel is a brand of guitar originally founded in the 1970s by Wayne Charvel in Azusa, California and then later, Glendora, California. Charvel guitars became popular in the 1980s due to their association with famous rock guitarists such as Edward Van Halen , Richie Sambora , Warren DeMartini ,...
and Ibanez Guitars with Peavey Amplification. Today Ron's main axe is a custom-wired Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
(designed by legendary Syracuse musician, the late Dave Pasternack). He uses a combination of Peavey
Peavey Guitars
Peavey Guitars are electric, acoustic, and electric bass guitars branded by Peavey Electronics, a recognized pioneer in musical instrument manufacturing.-Guitars:*Axcelerator Series**Axcelerator...
and Fender amps. Ron is a fan of Digitech pedalboards, and has used them widely throughout the nineties and the 2000s.
Ron Lauback has influenced many Syracuse-based artists over the years. Dan Elliott
Dan Elliott
Daniel Michael Elliott , commonly known as Dan Elliott, currently anchors KXTV News10 Good Morning from 5-7am with Kelly Jackson and News10 Midday from 11-11:30am with Jennifer Smith and solo on Friday....
has stated in interviews that Ron and The Sabres influenced him to form his first band The Dimensions as well as the helping Jack Abert and John Wisnewski start The Monterays. Other Syracuse talent that Ron has influenced include Shane Prue (ex-Wishpool
Wishpool
Wishpool is the third and final studio album by American hard rock band Brother Cane, released March 31, 1998. It features the hit "I Lie in the Bed I Make," which was their second #1 single on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, maintaining that position for four weeks. Due to low album sales,...
and solo artist), Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
and Dan Wagner
Dan Wagner
Dan Wagner is an English entrepreneur and businessman. He was one of the first British-based Internet entrepreneurs, having founded M.A.I.D in 1984, a company which provided online information services...
(Wagner), Steven Alexander
Steven Alexander
Steven Alexander is an American filmmaker born in London, England, immigrated to New York City in the 1980s. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Legal Studies from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, attended City College of New York Film School before eventually getting his MFA from New...
(The Erika DeSocio Band) and Dan Stabile (ex-Distorted Views).
Ron and his son Ronnie Dark record music together under the name RLB. They have recorded seven albums together since 1992 and composed music for the 1999 motion picture The Secret Life of Horace Gimple. Their music has been featured on both The Homegrown Music Radio Network and Soundcheck
Soundcheck
A soundcheck is the preparation that takes place before a concert, speech, or similar performance, when the performer and the sound crew run through a small portion of the upcoming show on the venue's sound system to make sure that the sound in the venue's "Front Of House" and stage monitor sound...
, which is broadcast on TK99 (99.5fm).
Non-Musical Accomplishments
Ron Lauback has also made numerous contributions to the field of medicine as well. His work has been published in several academic journals and periodicals.(examples: "High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography Assay for Dane Salt Potassium(-)-N-(1-Methoxycarbonylpropene-2yl)-p-hydroxyphenylglycine" written by Naseem Muhammad, Peter S. Tsai and Ronald G. Lauback; Affiliation: Bristol Laboratories, Division of Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb , often referred to as BMS, is a pharmaceutical company, headquartered in New York City. The company was formed in 1989, following the merger of its predecessors Bristol-Myers and the Squibb Corporation...
Co. Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA--Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies, Volume 5, Issue 7 1982).
"Specific High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Ampicillin in Bulks, Injectables, Capsules, and Oral Suspensions by Reverse-Phase Ion-Pair Chromatography" written by Ronald G. Lauback, James J. Rice, B. Bleiberg, N. Muhammad and S. A. Hanna; Affiliation: Bristol Laboratories, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb , often referred to as BMS, is a pharmaceutical company, headquartered in New York City. The company was formed in 1989, following the merger of its predecessors Bristol-Myers and the Squibb Corporation...
Co. Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA--Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies, Volume 7, Issue 6 (May 1984)
Ron Lauback is currently Vice President of Science for Hanford Pharmecuticals, based out of Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...