141:, but he was persuaded by his father and his brother to take up the drums. Ronnie was given a second-hand drum kit when he was 14 and, a year later, aged 15, he was playing with semi-professional bands near his home. His elder brother Billy played the piano, and his brother Bob also became a pianist, but Ronnie was focussed on playing the drums. He already played his first gig in public in the same week as he took his first drum lesson at the age of 14 and was soon working with pianist elder brother Bob's band, and then with the Ray Chester's Sextet. He went to Birmingham to join the Cliff Deeley Band at the Tower Ballroom, where he played for several months before going on the road. When he was 16, he joined the singer
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and the Club and, being the resident house drummer, he spent two years (1964-1966) in Ronnie Scott's
Quartet, and accompanied many visiting stars. In July, 1966, he formed a Big Band called 'The Ronnie Stephenson Big Band' and recorded a 'Drum Spectacular' LP on Columbia Records with drummer
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Band after moving to
Cologne with his wife Jean, daughter Kim, and son Carl. After three years with the Edelhagen band, he teamed up with pianist
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band to tour the variety theatre circuit as a soloist. The 10 months he spent with her was to be of great experience in the music business.
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He was conscripted into the Army and served in The Royal
Signals Band. He was demobbed in 1957. Stephenson had a close association with
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395:, Scotland on 8 August 2002, aged 65. He is survived by his wife, children, Kim and Carl, five grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
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in Berlin and toured Europe with bands and artists including the 'Radio Free Berlin Big Band'. This was at the time when
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orchestra in Berlin in 1981, and remained there until his retirement on health grounds in 1995. He also taught at the
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jazz drummer. He was one of the most in-demand drummers on the
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In addition to his many jazz connections, he also played with pop stars such as
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in 1969 and then took up the resident drum chair with the
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622:Ronnie Stevenson write up (top right of page)
468:1965: Wes Montgomery – Live at Ronnie Scott's
411:1960: Stan Getz with Kurt Edelhagen Orchestra
181:were all members of the band. He joined the
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536:The Greatest Little Soul Band in the Land
121:(26 January 1937 – 8 August 2002) was an
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358:and on other film scores, including
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580:Ronnie Stephenson Discography
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494:1966: Stan Tracey Big Band –
440:The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
641:"Victor Feldman Trio - 1965"
513:1967: Stan Tracey Quartet –
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694:British male jazz musicians
608:Ronnie Stephenson Biography
455:1965: Ronnie Scott Trio –
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594:Ronnie Stephenson Obituary
504:& Ronnie Stephenson –
408:and the Big Band of Europe
161:. He toured Germany with
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611:www.jazzprofessional.com
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487:Laughin' And Scratchin'
442:(Live At Ronnie Scott's)
434:1964: Ronnie Scott and
376:Personal life and death
361:Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
133:Stephenson was born in
430:Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick
342:He also played on the
689:English male drummers
684:English jazz drummers
329:Engelbert Humperdinck
316:, among many others.
625:www.henrybebop.co.uk
349:Diamonds Are Forever
187:University of Berlin
16:English jazz drummer
515:With Love from Jazz
475:with Stan Tracey –
366:Peter Herbolzheimer
355:You Only Live Twice
298:Peter Herbolzheimer
189:from 1990 to 1993.
183:Theater des Westens
525:Cleopatra's Needle
496:Alice in Jazz Land
477:Three Little Words
399:Select discography
296:, Kurt Edelhagen,
119:Ronnie Stephenson
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25:Ronnie Stephenson
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314:Victor Feldman
286:John Dankworth
274:Dick Morrissey
226:Gerry Mulligan
218:Johnny Griffin
214:Paul Gonsalves
202:Wes Montgomery
167:Kurt Edelhagen
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115:Musical artist
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653:. Retrieved
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531:J.J. Jackson
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473:Benny Golson
457:Double Event
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451:Just Friends
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310:Kenny Clarke
282:Jack Parnell
258:Tony Bennett
238:Benny Golson
210:Quincy Jones
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179:Eugen Cicero
154:Ronnie Scott
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105:Years active
66:(2002-08-08)
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679:2002 deaths
674:1937 births
655:17 November
543:Terry Smith
521:Ronnie Ross
502:Kenny Clare
483:Stan Tracey
436:Sonny Stitt
391:He died in
333:Cilla Black
290:Tubby Hayes
278:Terry Smith
266:Stan Tracey
262:Ronnie Ross
230:Sonny Stitt
222:Roland Kirk
159:Kenny Clare
668:Categories
567:References
386:Perthshire
325:Matt Monro
294:Cleo Laine
139:Gene Kelly
135:Sunderland
96:Instrument
88:Occupation
73:, Scotland
54:Sunderland
47:1937-01-26
32:Birth name
416:Mike Carr
406:Stan Getz
321:Tom Jones
306:Rolf Kühn
270:Ted Heath
254:Mel Tormé
206:Zoot Sims
198:Stan Getz
171:Paul Kuhn
163:Tom Jones
147:Ted Heath
143:Lita Roza
129:Biography
109:1951-1995
649:Archived
547:Fall Out
91:Musician
645:YouTube
346:themes
123:English
551:1978:
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414:1962:
404:1958:
393:Dundee
370:Munich
312:, and
78:Genres
71:Dundee
382:Alyth
99:Drums
657:2017
352:and
344:Bond
335:and
82:Jazz
61:Died
56:, UK
41:Born
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