Six decades on stage and still rockin' it at 80
Friday (February 13) sees the 80th birthday of local music legend Ron Dickson. After a period of around 60 years in the music business local lad Ron is still entertaining audiences in the region.
Ron started out in the music business in the 1960s when he was one of the founder members of the group Light Fantastic. Ron was bass guitarist and vocalist in the band who became well known across the West Midlands during the 60s and 70s. He still, to this day, appears with Light Fantastic, along with another long serving member of the group, Keith Locke.
During the 70s local comedian Ian "Sludge" Lees was a member of the group before leaving to follow a career in comedy.
Ron became famed for his exciting and theatrical live performances in his "Nightmare" shows when he would appear from a coffin wearing a Dracula outfit with monster make up.
The Express and Star reported the act as: "Light Fantastic produced a show which had the girls rushing away from the stage rather than towards it. It was caused by their special rendition of Monster Mash, which involves a real monster in the form of bass player, Ron Dickson. He leaps about in the audience and looks enough to scare the living daylights out of anyone - including Boris Karloff. He threatens girls with blood running from his mouth, smoke and flames belching from under his cloak. He can create near panic and mayhem. In the year since the acts started about 40 girls have fainted."
Ron now appears as the resident DJ at Harrisons Club, Wharwell Lane, Cheslyn Hay, ably supported by wife Wendy.
He controls the decks on a Tuesday evening - playing a selection of tracks from the yester-years. He is also the MC at some of the open mic. nights - providing opportunities to local performers and still rocking with the Light Fantastic band.
Ron continues to entertain audiences after a lifetime in music - long may it continue!
By Michael Roseblade
