Rockin' Ron Ellinger (Part One)

Today we meet the Master of Brass, The Sultan of Slide, The Trombone Troubador, "Ronbone" himself, Rockin' Ron Ellinger. His journey is proof we can live our dreams with whatever instruments we choose, however we choose to do so.

Ron's journey began at Celina High School, where in 5th grade Ron answered the call to play trombone for a band director (Larry Copess) in dire need. Ron learned a lot and later learned from another band director named Bob Loughrige. Loughrige had toured extensively with Ralph Flanagan's Orchestra and had lots of wisdom to share.

"Bob let us express ourselves, gave tips and hints on how to ad-lib, how to take solos. He told us when you take a solo, if you play a note you don't like, get off of it, and the audience probably doesn't even notice."

Ron and his mates had a lot of success with their high school jazz band, securing 1st place trophies at contests in his junior and senior years. They also had a side band called Whistler's Brothers where they played songs like Wipeout, Little Bit o’ Soul and Wild Thing.

A defining moment came as a freshman in 1969 when the first Chicago Transit Authority album came out. "When I heard the trombone player on that album, my life was changed forever. The note bending that guy is doing ... I can do that! And ever since then I was like, trombones can be cool: they can play rock, they can do whatever they want.'"

Ron later joined a wedding band called Liberation. Early during receptions they would play standard fare for the older crowd. Once midnight hit though, the youth were free to play the stuff they REALLY wanted to play, stuff like the Ides of March or Chicago; jazzy, rock, horn-based music. (Sidenote: check out Vehicle by Ides of March; it's a song you didn't know you knew, and fantastic.)