Ronnie Lane's "Willy" Has Left the Building
by Bill Simoneau

        I knew Ronnie Lane because I was a roadie for a band who's members, performances and after-hours antics attracted a wide selection of characters. Ronnie was one of those characters.

        Ronnie's last few years in the Material World remain pretty much a mystery to his friends. His wife (for whatever reasons) whisked him away to Trinidad, Colorado, and many people that were close to him never heard from him again. Yesterday, I found myself in Trinidad with a band I am currently working for. During the few minutes spare time I had, I attempted to quiz locals about Ronnie for information regarding those last few years.

        Located on a high mountain pass, Trinidad just so happens to be the sex change capital of the world. There is a hospital that specializes in these operations, a fact which must have amused Ron. I just KNOW he would  have joked about not wanting to go near that particular hospital for fear of having his "Willy" removed. He'd probably say "But Who would want it, ANYWAY"?  It is said that the waitress that serves you in a cafe might possibly have used to be a Longshoreman. It is an impoverished town with lots of old abandoned buildings. The population is primarily Hispanic. I learned that even though many specialists that perform the sex changes reside in Trinidad, there is a severe shortage of doctors. Someone told me that when a woman has a baby, she has to go somewhere else for medical assistance.

        A town without proper medical care doesn't sound like a good place for Ron to have lived. Even had he been healthy, he was the kind of guy who might have dropped a bowling ball on his foot, or sustain an injury from a goat or a kitchen utensil.

I asked folks if they met or had heard of him. Only one person claimed to know him and said he was "doing just fine".....Uhhh...OK...(when I had asked for directions to the venue of my gig, the same guy sent me on a goose chase, zig-zagging across town....turns out it was just around the corner from the confused direction giver/so called pal of the so called  living, healthy Ronnie Lane).

Ronnie Lane's spirit did not stay in Trinidad Colorado. I imagine it moved to somewhere he really loved....perhaps his farm in Wales....or maybe the Hill country of Texas.....But its not in Trinidad Colorado...the vibes are wrong...maybe the light is wrong....maybe he was scared of losing his "Spirit  Willy".

......I looked but i couldnt find ya, Ronnie....See ya when i'm lookin at ya...Ta Mate.

 

Bill Simoneau has an extensive history in the rock-n-roll biz (and lifestyle, I suppose).  He grew up in Albuquerque, where he began his career playing in garage bands like the 4-Lorne.   During the 70's, he sustained himself primarily as a stage manager.  In the 80's he was a guitar and backline tech for many different acts.  From the late 80s to the present he has been a live sound engineer.  He's recently worked with Joe Ely, Delbert McClinton, the Planets, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Indigo Girls, Will Sexton, Al Hurricane and others. He currently resides in front of a computer in Albuquerque, NM.