Joseph Jack Ramsey, 11/1/67 - 12/29/14
Press Release posted 2/16/15 – An all-star lineup of Arcadia-bred rock performers will reunite during a benefit memorial concert at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, from 7 p.m. to midnight, to honor long-time Sierra Madrean, well-known musician and beloved AHS alum Joe Ramsey, who recently passed away at the age of 58.
More than 15 accomplished performers will take the stage to pay tribute to Mr. Ramsey. Among them are — The Third Man, featuring Arcadia musicians Gary Putman and Curt Lichter, who recorded, toured and performed with Ramsey during the 1980s as The Prime Movers and later as Dread Zeppelin; Natural Disaster, a re-forming of Ramsey’s popular local band The Cyclones, featuring veteran musicians and AHS alums Carl Haasis, David Plenn and Brion Costa, with Steve Gaghagen and Bob Loza; Four Eyed Four, featuring veteran musicians and AHS alums John Curry, Scott Lasken and Dennis Walsh with Nick Hanick and special guest vocalist Allison Ramsey; and, The Alumni Acoustic, comprised of AHS grads Larry Larson, Tom Bralley, Randy Brown and Leroy Larson. Keith Slettedahl and Adam Merrin from the popular LA indie rock group The 88 will also join the line-up. The highly regarded songwriter/guitarist and original Wall of Voodoo vocalist Stan Ridgway and his wife, singer-songwriter Pietra Wexstun, are also scheduled to appear. A special surprise guest or two may also take the stage.
More than 300 AHS alumni, along with friends and fans of Mr. Ramsey, are traveling to Arcadia for the event – some from as far away as Colorado, Washington, Iowa and Georgia. In addition to the benefit memorial concert, Santa Anita Park is dedicating the day’s last thoroughbred horse race in his memory, and the City of Arcadia has proclaimed Feb. 21 Joe Ramsey Day.
As a founding member of The Prime Movers, and later the immensely popular Dread Zeppelin, both of which featured fellow Arcadia musicians, Mr. Ramsey rose to prominence as a bass player, guitarist and vocalist during the heyday of Southern California’s rock scene in the late 70s, 80s and 90s. He was graduated from AHS in 1974 and attended Pasadena City College.
More recently, he founded Resistor Records, a vinyl record store in Monrovia, where he lived with his wife Allison and daughters, ages 6 and 4. Mr. Ramsey died Dec. 29 at Arcadia Methodist Hospital following a nearly decade-long struggle with cancer and heart problems, and a recent stroke.
A limited number of tickets are available online until 6 pm Friday at ArcadiaApaches-donations.com. Suggested donations are $60 or more and will go to cover the cost of staging the event. Any proceeds will be donated to the AHS Alumni Association’s Joe Ramsey Memorial Scholarship and to the Ramsey family to help defray medical expenses and sudden loss of income.
Questions about the event can be directed to alumni@arcadiaapaches.net.