Ron Schwilke was raised in SoCal. He studied music at the Jefferson Elementary School for 2 years after learning in the 5th grade that you get out of class for 45 minutes twice a week if you joined the band. He played the trumpet for two years (this was pre Beatles on Ed Sullivan, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass were hot on the radio, the British Invasion had yet to sell us U.S. white kids the music we would not hear on white kids' radio stations).
 
In 1975,  he made his ESCAPE FROM L.A. after meeting a red head (female), and moved to Grass Valley. He has  played the bass guitar, doghouse bass, dobro and lap steel in many various types of bands in the foothills on and off during his years.
 
More recently though, David saw/heard him playing the lap steel at the local blues jam. Dave asked, "Are you in a band? Do you want to be?"  Dave's timing was a little off though, 'cause just four days later Ron had major surgery on his right wrist.  The Doc says "we take three bones out and shove it all back together! Good as new, right?"
 
Five  months of recovery later, the other guys finally got to see what Dave saw in Ron and, without too much grumbling, embraced him into the mighty inya eeya!
 
Ron's testimony: "This is great fun, great guys, and these are great players !"
 
Ron's favorite links: