RONNIE DAWSON

RONNIE DAWSON was born in Dallas, Texas on August 11, 1939; raised as an only child in Waxahachie, Texas by Pinky and Gladys Dawson. Pinky had a swing band that was heard on Dallas' KRLD-AM radio. Realizing how much Ronnie liked music, Pinky borrowed a guitar and taught him the basics. Soon after, Ronnie formed his own band, "Ronnie Dee & The D Men," and within two months entered the talent contest at the Big D Jamboree in Dallas. Ronnie won ten weeks in a row and Ed MacLemore, who at the time was Gene Vincent's manager, signed the band. Ronnie's first single, "ACTION PACKED" was on Backbeat Records, backed with "I MAKE THE LOVE", followed by the now legendary "ROCKIN' BONES", which came out on MacLemore's "Rockin'" label with the new moniker "THE BLONDE BOMBER -- RONNIE DAWSON." Both singles sold respectably in regional markets and in Texas, but it wasn't until Dick Clark called to offer Ronnie a recording deal with his Swan Records label along with an appearance on American Bandstand, that Ronnie's career appeared to be set. Then the Payola scandal hit, dragging Clark and other prominent DJs into extensive legal battles and leaving Ronnie without a record or much of a career. In the interim, Ronnie toured with the Lightcrust Doughboys, played drums on recording sessions for Paul and Paula's "HEY PAULA" and Bruce Channel's "HEY BABY", as well as later releasing tracks for Columbia Records under the names "Snake Munroe" and "Commonwealth Jones".