Larry Ramos
Larry Ramos | |
|---|---|
 Larry Ramos, with the musical group, The Association, in 1968 Top row, from left: Jim Yester, Brian Cole, Ted Bluechel; bottom row, from left: Russ Giguere, Larry Ramos, Terry Kirkman | |
| Born | Hilario Ramos April 19, 1942 Waimea, Kauai County, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Died | April 30, 2014 (aged 72) Clarkston, Washington, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, guitarist, banjo player |
Larry Ramos (born Hilario Ramos; April 19, 1942 – April 30, 2014)[1] was a guitarist, banjo player, and vocalist with the 1960s American pop band The Association. In 1963, he won a Grammy with The New Christy Minstrels.[2]
Early years
Ramos, of Filipino descent[1] with a blend of Chinese and Spanish,[3] was born and raised in Waimea, Kauai County, Hawaii.[2] He was born to Larry Ramos, Sr. and Patrocinia Ramos. His father was a pool hall operator in Honolulu and Kakaako.[3][4] As a child, Ramos played ukulele on The Arthur Godfrey Show. He also played ukulele and sang in the 1950 musical romance film Pagan Love Song starring Esther Williams. At 13, he performed in a national tour of the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical "The King and I," playing the crown prince of Thailand opposite Yul Brynner.[3]
Career
He joined The New Christy Minstrels, an American folk music group, in the early 1960s. The group, with Ramos providing vocals and playing banjo, as well as other stringed instruments, served as a backup band on The Andy Williams Show.[1] They recorded their 1962 debut album, Presenting The New Christy Minstrels, and won with it a 1963 Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Chorus. In 1967, The Association's band member Gary Jules Alexander left, and Ramos was asked to join. He performed with the band at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. With the band, he recorded five studio albums (with first being Insight Out), and several singles.[2] Ramos contributed his voice to The Association's hit songs "Windy" (lead vocals by Russ Giguere and Ramos) and "Never My Love" (lead vocals by Terry Kirkman and Ramos). He left The Association in 1975 due to differences over the group’s music, but reunited with the surviving members of the combo as its leader, in 1979.[3] On February 24, 2014, Ramos gave his final performance with the band.[2]
Ramos, a longtime resident of Grangeville, Idaho had numerous ailments over his last few years.[1] On August 31, 2011 he suffered a heart attack.[3] In 2013, he was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. He died at a hospital in Clarkston on April 30, 2014 at age 72.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d "Passings: Larry Ramos, Billy Frank Jr". Los Angeles Times. May 5, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Larry Ramos of the Association Dies at Age 72". Ultimate Classic Rock. May 7, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f "Larry Ramos (1942-2014)". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. May 4, 2014.
- ^ "Larry Ramos April 19, 1942 - April 30, 2014". Lewiston Morning Tribune. May 4, 2014.