- Member of: Hype
- Genre: Rock & Alternative
- Influenced by: Eric Clapton, Dave Davies, Jeff Beck, The Shadows, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend, Elvis Presley
- Followed By: C.C. DeVille, Brian Nash, Joan Jett, Mick Mars, Randy Rhoads, Earl Slick, Billy Corgan, Slash, Ace Frehley, Brian James, Perfect, Steve Clark, Chrissie Hynde, Johnny Marr, Michael Lee Firkins, Phil Collen, Bernard Butler, Hot Water, Steve Jones, Lenny Kaye
- Similar Artists: Ace Frehley, Joan Jett, Steve Jones, Phil Manzanera, Lou Reed, Brian May, Steve Hunter, Sylvain Sylvain, Marc Bolan, Michael Bruce, Alex Harvey, Ron Asheton, Ariel Bender, Bernard Butler, Glen Buxton, Steve Clark, Phil Collen, Billy Corgan, Dave Hill, Chrissie Hynde, Brian James, Lenny Kaye, Johnny Marr, Rick Nielsen, Mick Ralphs, Randy Rhoads, Slash, Johnny Thunders, Dick Wagner, C.C. DeVille, Mick Mars, James Williamson, Frank Torpey
Guitarist, arranger, songwriter, producer and perennial sideman, Mick Ronson made his mark during glam-rock's early '70s heyday but worked consistently with frequent collaborators David Bowie and Ian Hunter till his death in 1993. From 1967-68 he played with a hometown garage rock group, The Rats, in Hull. In 1969, he was discovered by fledgling folksinger and producer, Mike Chapman, who asked him to join his recording band. From there he was on to a collaboration with Bowie beginning with "Space Oddity" in 1969 and lasting through 1973's Pin-Ups. He arranged "Changes" among others on Hunky Dory (1972) and was Bowie's flamboyant guitarist in the Spiders from Mars during the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (1972) album and tours. It has remained a mystery as to how much of Bowie's material Ronson wrote in exchange for "arrangement" credits, but his stamp is on some important records of the era: He co-produced Lou Reed's Transformer (RCA, 1972) with Bowie and briefly joined Mott the Hoople after working as an arranger on All the Young Dudes (1972). As glam rock faded, Ronson continued to work with Hunter in the Hunter/Ronson band and as a songwriter, guitarist and producer on Hunter's solo work. He recorded two solo albums for MainMan, Slaughter on 10th Avenue (1974) and Play Don't Worry (1975). His identifiable wah-wah sound straddled genres outside his beloved glam and hard rock: From Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue to Morrissey's Your Arsenal(1992). Ronson consistently worked with divergent artists from Roger McGuinn and David Johansen to John Mellencamp ("Jack and Diane"). He and Hunter recorded YUI Orta in 1989 for Mercury and in 1990, Ronson was diagnosed with cancer. He was reunited with Bowie for Black Tie White Noise(1993) and that same year appeared at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert with Hunter and Bowie. He made one final record with some help from his friends Hunter, Bowie, Chrissie Hynde and Mellencamp, Heaven 'n Hull, (Epic) which was released posthumously in 1994. Just Like This, a two-disc collection of unreleased material, followed in 1999, and Showtime, a collection of live material, arrived the next year. ~ Denise Sullivan, All Music Guide