Ronnie Greb Biography

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Guitarist Ronnie Greb -- not to be confused with the jazz drummer of the same name, of a previous generation -- made his major contribution to recorded music as a member of Mike & the Modifiers. The latter band, a Detroit-based quartet, had the distinction of being the first white group signed to Motown Records. Born in 1943 in Detroit, Ronnie Greb reached his teens just as rock & roll was overpowering the airwaves nationally. The artists he cites as the greatest influence on him musically were Chuck Berry and Duane Eddy. By the end of the '50s, he'd taken up the guitar and as the new decade opened, he joined singer/composer Mike Valvano, whom he knew from his neighborhood, in the group that became Mike & the Modifiers. Valvano, in particular, was always working in various capacities around the Motown offices, and Greb recalls being present when the Contours cut "Do You Love Me." The group was on package tours with many of the early Motown acts, but by 1964 they'd broken up. Valvano (who passed away in 2002) was the only member to enjoy a long-term career in recorded music -- as a composer and producer, among other capacities -- but Greb was still playing his guitar in local music events in the early 21st century, and still proud of his work with the band. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide