Take Five With Ronny Smith

Meet Ronny Smith: Ronny has performed as a backup musician a wide range of artists from a variety of schools of musical thought, including the Marvelettes, Melba Moore, and jazz drummer Bobby Durham. Ronny has performed as a guitarist for various Army bands in Europe, Texas, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Delaware and with various University jazz bands including the University of Maryland and Morgan State University, Maryland.

While initially spending most of his time playing by ear, while listening to musicians such as Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, and George Benson who provided the influences throughout junior high and high school, he continued to play and enhanced his initial skills by learning to read music.

Further development, as he became involved in jazz ensembles both in school and outside of academic confines...Ronny began playing in Europe for the Army band. Further studies took Ronny from the Army to Elizabeth State University, North Carolina and, finally, to the University of Phoenix, where he completed his Master's degree. Perhaps the formality of those early years did more to shaping Ronny as a guitarist than anyone could have initially imagined....