Ron VanDenboom - Biography

524 124th St. (Hwy 45), Franksville, WI 53216-9764
(414) 425-6967

BIOGRAPHY
1999

Ronnie was born "Ronald Lawrence VanDenboom" in Milwaukee, on May 17, 1935. His parents moved to Muskego on his first birthday along with his three-year-old sister, Marilyn. A brother, Gerald, and sister, Dianne, would be born later at this Muskego rental home. This home was positioned near the landlords farm, so Ronnie spent many of his days on the farm. In fact, his job was working on this farm.

At age 5, he would be put behind the wheel of a 1930 Chevrolet truck and steer it around the rocks and trees (in low first gear) while the men pulled freshly cut cornstalks off the rear of the truck for the cows to eat. Later at age 9 or 10, Ronnie "tied wires" on the farmers' J.I. Case Hay Baler. Every summer the baler was towed from farm to farm to do custom baling, sometimes working until midnight to "beat the rain." His favorite memories from those days were the delicious meals served up by the farm wives every day. Mmmm!! Remember those homemade pies, cakes, breads, ice cream, etc.?

Meanwhile, sister Marilyn had obtained a guitar, so when she wasn't around, Ronnie would learn a few chords and "pick" a little. Later, Marilyn acquired a tenor banjo (a Gibson Mastertone) so he learned to play that too. Music was everywhere in the VanDenboom family, as Ronnie's father had nine siblings who played guitars, concertinas, the piano, fiddle, harmonica, and accordion. Sunday on Grandpa's farm was always a musical picnic. Ronnie's first gig was Labor Day, 1950. It paid five dollars. Ronnie's sisters, Marilyn and Dianne, had a band called "The VanDenboom Sisters Variety Band". Ronnie often played with them.

At age seventeen, Paul Poberezny enlisted Ronnie into the Wisconsin Air National Guard. About the same time, Paul and Ronnie's boss, Carl Schultz, along with a few others had been meeting at Carl's Phillips 66 Station trying to put together a club for homebuilders of aircraft. This later became what we know today as "The Experimental Aircraft Association,' presently located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Ronnie is Charter Member Number Fifteen in this international group.

At age nineteen, he purchased the Phillips 66 Station and did mechanical repairs on cars for five or six years. He began dating the girl next door (JoAnne Pederson) during this time period, and he married her on November 24, 1960.

Later the garage was sold and Ronnie went to work for various auto dealers, first as a lubeman/undercoater at Hiller Ford in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, and then to an auto body man at Superior Coach Sales next door. This was followed by a stint at E.J. Salentine Buick in Muskego.

During this period, Ronnie and JoAnne were busy raising their three children: David, Renee, and Kim. All three were introduced to music and played in school bands.

Plastic was getting big so Ronnie tried his hand at managing a plastics firm in Waukesha. Ronnie then moved on and took a job as a lathe operator, turning 24-inch wheels on a giant lathe at a heavy equipment manufacturing company. Ron's final job was as a mold maker at the fledgling Buell Motorcycle plant, in East Troy, Wisconsin (now owned by Harley Davidson). Multiple Sclerosis forced his retirement in 1997.

Ronnie has worked as a sideman with dozens of bands over the years and has recorded on many albums. He was a disc jockey on a Milwaukee radio station, and longed to do an album with his family, but more important things always pushed it aside.

Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1977, now he could finally start on his album project. Ronnie had been gathering recording equipment for thirty years in anticipation of this project. In January, 2000 the finished CDs and cassettes were released on the BRIAR HILL Label. The album was recorded on a Tuscam 38-8 analog recorder in his basement ... he says "next to the washer and dryer." His wife JoAnne, son David, daughters Renee and Kim, grandkids: Ashley Hribar (10), Brittany (9) and Ryan (8) VanDenboom, mother-in-law Marie Pederson (92) and the kid's spouses all performed on this project. Also performing were Nashville artists: Jerry Loughney (fiddler with Kevin Sharpe) and Crint Snell on steel guitar. Local musicians: Tom Brusky, Bryan O'Donnell, Ed Hause, Larry Pfeil, Bob Schamber and others contributed. Liner notes were written by Barb Jacobs, WTKM Radio Disc Jockey.

Promotion of Ronnie's album, entitled "How I Love Them Old Songs" was handled by Col. Danny Mack at Briarhill Records. (Thanks Dan). The car pictured on the album cover is Ronnie's 1941 Cadillac 60SA Sedan. The "Muskego Firemen's Polka" was written by Ronnie to honor EMT's and firefighters everywhere. The album is currently (May 2000) the number one requested on www.wtkm.com Radio in Hartford, Wisconsin. It is also setting a sales record at the "WTKM Music Shoppe." It is on play lists in France and the Netherlands, and has received a "five star" rating in Australia. A portion of each sale is to be sent to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Wisconsin.

Ronnie's favorite music includes: country, pop, polka, bluegrass, and Cajun. His favorite hobbies are: Music... a 4000+ record album collection, toy collecting, musical instrument collecting, old cars, airplanes, gardening, and now... recording.

Ronnie and JoAnne will be celebrating their 40th Wedding Anniversary November 24, 2000. Ron's 50th year as sideman will conclude September 4, 2000. His story was featured in a local newspaper and internationally in “The Polka News”. It follows…

The Polka News, May, 2000

Ron VanDenboom is a free-lance vocalist and musician for such local polka bands as the Bryan O'Donnell Orchestra, the Ed Hause Band, and Carol and the Keynotes. He recently cut a CD titled "How I Love Them Old Songs".

Ron became interested in music as a child. You could say he was born into it. His grandparents owned a tavern and general store in St. Martins, but during Prohibition they moved to a farm in Muskego, Wisconsin. They often hosted Sunday picnics that included music.

Ron had uncles who played the concertina, piano and fiddle, his dad played harmonica and several others played guitar. The grandchildren would sing along, and when the adults moved on to talk or play cars, the kids would sneak over to the instruments and start playing with them.

Growing up, Ron held various jobs around the Muskego-Hales Corners area, most often working the farms baling hay. "A favorite memory of mine is the great meals the farmers’ wives always put out for us. I looked forward to the spread as much as the day's pay."

Ron also did odd jobs, including pumping gas and washing cars for E.J. Salentine. It was one of those odd jobs that led him to the other love of his life, his wife, Joanne Pederson.

Joanne's family lived at 112th and Godsell in Hales Corners. It might have been difficult at times for Joanne to share him with his musician friends and audiences, but when Ron lends his voice to the lyrics of the "Joanne Polka", the first song on the CD, you can appreciate one reason she stuck it out.

Ron will celebrate his 50th anniversary as a professional musician on Labor Day 2000.

"My first playing gig was nearly fifty years ago on the steps of the Senft's Triangle Inn of Hales Corners," Ron mused. "Wally Kehl and I played together that day, and still keep in touch today."

Ron's success continued from there, sitting in with different bands and eventually earning a spot with the first house band at the Melody Bar at Highway 100 and Layton.

In the 1960's he taught guitar at the Rudy Rossman Hales Corners School of Music, formerly located in the vicinity of Clifford's on Forest Home.

When asked if he had a music hero, he replied, "Like everyone else, it was Frankie Yankovic. To be around him was like being around the President of the United States."

Ron's passion for music carried over from performing to the technical aspects of recording. He built a soundproof studio in his basement and started taping from cassette to cassette. He eventually bought a used four-track, then an eight-track recorder and began laying down tracks in the multi-tracking method invented by Waukesha native, Les Paul.

I was invited to see his studio and was intrigued with the elements that go into recording a song. All the while he kept telling how out-of-date everything was, since each piece had been purchased at rummage sales, and that today everything is done digitally.

But I was impressed. Ron even let me "play" with the board, adding the banjo, then the rhythm, bringing up the vocals where appropriate and accenting the accordion at just the right time.

I had a lot of fun with the piece on his CD called the "Muskego Firemen's Polka". It is the only song on the CD that Ron wrote himself. He wrote it on the way home from the semi-annual event. In fact, It was the last event the Muskego Women's Auxiliary hosted, due to expense and liability. It was written as a tribute and in the spirit of past events.

Ron's CD is a dream come true, and it is a commendable accomplishment with unique generational appeal. Ron involves his entire family, including his 94-year-old mother-in-law Marie, his wife, children, grandchildren and nieces.

Songs range from lively polkas to country ballads, from the delightful "Out Behind The Barn" in which everyone has a part, to the reverent hymn, "in The Garden".

Besides lending his voice, he plays the banjo, mandolin, acoustic and electric guitars, harmonica and more. The music draws you in, but the family effort makes you want to be part of it all the more. Ron has a growing number of fans. The Briar Hill Label CD gets airplay on stations across the U.S. and even as far away as Australia. He has marketed it through direct mail and at performances. A portion of each sale is donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Ron was diagnosed with MS in 1977. It may have caused him to slow down some, but he has such passion and energy. To order a copy, call (414) 425-6967.