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FAQ's

1)  How long have you been playing music?
Most of us started at quite an early age.  Ron started at approximately 14 years of age and Glenn,    Steve and Andy started much earlier with formal training.  Andy started on violin and accordion and Steve first   wanted to play bass but drums won out.  Glenn has pretty much stuck to guitar-like instruments from classical to mandolin, ukulele and steel guitar.  Freddy took formal training in high school on the sax and private vocal lessons. Ron self taught drums (his first love) and later guitar and then bass and keyboards.  He enhanced his knowledge with courses in Pepperdine on the basics of keyboards and two semesters at Glendale College in classical guitar.
2)  Do your parents play any instruments?
Glenn's father is an accomplished classical guitarist.  Ron's parents dabbled on keyboards, violin, guitar and harmonica.
3)  How long has the band been together?
The Classics started out as Jawbone (read the bio on the web) with Andy, Freddy and Ron eventually joining forces with Steve and then Glenn to become Ronny and the Classics.  Their first appearance with flashy outfits was at the Starting Gate 14 years ago in August.  20 years together as of 2006
4)  Do you practice or rehearse a lot?
We used to often in the early phase but now we upgrade our repertoire about once a month.  We acquire audience and personal requests that have listening, dancing and show value and put them on 5 cassettes.  We'll learn them and meet to work out the harmonies, lead singer and arrangement and whatever choreography might be appropriate.
5)  Do you guys smoke or do drugs?
No, none of the groups smokes or dabbles in any drugs.  Only three of us like a beer or a drink now and then especially after the first two shows or at the end of a performance or when socializing.
6)  Do you travel a lot?
Again, in the early stages there was quite a bit of traveling. Occasionally, two to three weeks at a time.  Now we rarely go out more than a week and if you don't count Palm Springs, we might spend three to four weeks out of town.  We do travel to many parts of the US for corporate events and car shows.  We've been to New York, Ohio, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona and Northern and Southern California.
7)  How does Andy get his hair up like that and does he wear that way all the time?
He only wears his hair like that for your entertainment.  How he does it is a trade secret, but I think 10% of his pay goes to cheap hair spray and proper hair grooming tools.  Ask him nicely and he might divulge it over a drink.
8)  How do you get your clothes?
Some are made by Charlone Quintana (a dear friend of the Classics), some are bought right of the rack at vintage clothing stores like Aardvark's, some come from swap meets and outlets and some come from places in Hollywood around Melrose Ave., Chinatown and the garment district's Santee Alley in downtown Los Angeles.  We are constantly on the hunt for interesting, flashy clothes and shoes.
9)  What do you do for a living?
You're looking at it.  This is our job.  Andy supplements his income with a side business.Glenn and Ron and Steve perform with other acts when there is opportunity.  But this is our job and has been the main source of income.
10) Have you ever flopped?
We're not God or magicians, therefore we can't raise the dead.  I can think of about three occasions in 14 years that we've been asked to do the impossible and that is to entertain people who would rather show their face, eat the food and rush home to sit behind the computer or catch the last episode of Ally McBeal.  Some people have forgotten how to have fun with others or their spouse or family and let them selves go.  When too many of them find themselves in the same room we might as well bring in a bulldozer and bury them. Occasionally, a client will hire us and tell us what to do instead of letting us use our years of experience in how to get a party going.  And occasionally, the client will bring too many diversions: mimes, impersonators, photo shoots, games, pony rides, Clydesdales, carnival rides, makeovers, etc. Other then that, most pay the big money  to have us do what we're best at: entertain. Whenever the band performs through other systems they are at the mercy of the sound man.  Unfortunately, we've experienced more incompetent sound people with inadequate equipment that have made us sound less than desirable.  We sound best consistently on our own equipment.
11) Why don't you play in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas isn't what it used to be.  It used to be gambling,  food and tons of every level of entertainment, many of which used the exposure to make it to the big time.  Vegas used to pay quite well with perks such as rooms and food deals.  Now they don't provide rooms or food and they want you to perform 4 to six shows for pay that is 2/3 or  less of what it used to be due to the abundance of groups living in Vegas who compete and bring the value down.  The emphasis is no longer on multi-level entertainment.  They now have roller coasters, glitz, zoos and pretend to be a family place. When the family gets there everyone splits up.  To see a show requires a fee in the amount of a  small mortgage.  Agua Caliente in Palm Springs and the Hon-Dah Casino in Pine Top, Arizona, are the closest to what old Vegas used to be like.
12) Do you do weddings and Private Parties?
We have done and will do any occassion that's willing to pay the price:  Weddings, Bar-Mitzvahs, Bat-Mitzvahs, Reunions, Anniversaries, Installments, Promotions, Grand Openings, Birthdays, even Gypsies funerals, car shows, fairs, street concerts, company retreats, Christmas parties, New years parties, Halloween, St. Patricks' Day, Back Yard, No reason to party parties and Fundraisers and Benefits.
13) Would you play for free for a good cause?
Since this is our only source of income, we can't just give away prime dates such as weekends (Friday and  Saturday).  We do and have performed for a considerable lower fee or free for the following:  Boy Scouts, Abused Children, Battered Spouses, Special Olympics, our children's schools, Child Help, Cystic Fibrosis, Desi Geestman Foundation (helping children with cancer), and families in need of fellow musicians that have died or were ill.
14) What is your favorite place to perform?
Definitely the big outdoor events such as Hot August Nights in Reno, the Fremont Experience in Las Vegas and the Dan Cyr Car Shows in San Jose and Sacramento and the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center Theater. People that go  to these events have a great attitude and love hearing the music that made them feel good then and now.  Any party where people come to hear and see our kind of group is a treat to perform for.
15) Have you ever headlined?
Unless we open for a main act such as Chubby Checker, Steppenwolf, The Rascals, Lil Richard, Johnny Rivers, The Temptations, Tony Bennett, to name a few, we are the main act and therefore headline.  We've headlined for as many as 10,000 people which I must admit is quite a rush.
16) Do you own all your own equipment and do you always use it?
For the big events we'll use as little as just our personal instruments (sax, guitar, bass, keys, drums), sometimes even the drums and keys are provided.  The band owns enough equipment to cover approximately 2000 people at an outdoor event.  The band owns all lights,  PA equipment and the truck collectively, the rest is individually owned    but stored in the truck mostly.
17) Are you all married?
Ronny, Andy, and Glenn are married with children. .We couldn't do this without the support of our families.
18) Does your family get to any or all the events?
A lot of the free city concerts as well as Hot August Nights and Fremont Experience and sometimes the northern car shows will have some or all of our families attend.  We also try to make vacations out of Tahoe or Arizona or Palm Springs.  But not all events are possible and would result in burn out.  Our children love our music and many times get involved in the performance, sale of CD's and moral support.
19) Are you smiling because you like what you're doing?
There are many securities one gives up to do what we do.  There are no company benefits such as unemployment and health insurance.  There is no playing sick or staying home because of a headache or toothache.  But there is tremendous satisfaction in bringing good feelings in the form of music and memories and watching audiences get caught up in what you enjoy doing.  So yes, the smile is real.  A bad day playing music is still better than a good day at the office.
20) What do you do to stay in shape?
We all have our favorite activities, but we don't follow any regime of activity.  Collectively we like to walk, jog, hike, bicycle, run, swim, tennis, surf, ski, jump rope, dance and sit on a motorcycle.
21) Do you write your own music?
Yes, we all do our own writing.  Our first CD has five original songs on it written by Ron and Andy.  Glenn writes and records songs for children and other types and has sold them over the net.  Ron continues to pursue his dream of finally recording a full CD of his songs and then maybe actually performing them in a concert setting.
22) What kind of music do you like?

We like all kinds of music and individually have our specialties.  Glenn likes jazzy and rock, Andy likes the big band and rock especially with neat keyboard arrangements,Steve likes anything with a great live drum pattern in it and Ron likes Rhythm and Blues. That's it for now.  We hope you enjoy the insight of five guys bearing their soul on stage throughout every performance.