Ronnie Lane
The soulful bassist and songwriter who provided the earthy, melodic heart for two of Britain's most raucous and beloved rock 'n' roll bands.
1946–1997 (age 51)·English rock musician·Birthday: April 1·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ronnie Lane was the glue in the whirlwind. As a founding member of the Small Faces, his melodic bass lines and songwriting partnership with Steve Marriott created a string of mod anthems that were as clever as they were catchy—'Itchycoo Park,' 'Lazy Sunday.' When that band evolved into the Faces with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood, Lane's role became even more crucial. Amidst the boozy, shambolic glory of the band's live shows, his playing was the steady, warm foundation, and his songs like 'Ooh La La' offered a poignant, folky counterpoint to Stewart's swagger. Tiring of the rock star circus, Lane made a bold left turn in the mid-70s, leaving the Faces to form a traveling musical caravan called the 'Passing Show.' He immersed himself in rustic, acoustic-oriented music, a pursuit tragically cut short by his diagnosis with multiple sclerosis. Despite the disease's relentless progression, he continued to record and perform with help from friends, his spirit and love for music undimmed until his death.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ronnie was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ronnie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Ronnie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1997Died at 51
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote and performed on classic Small Faces hits like 'Itchycoo Park,' 'Lazy Sunday,' and 'All or Nothing.'
- Co-founded and played bass for the Faces, contributing songs like 'Ooh La La' and 'Debris' to their repertoire.
- Founded the unconventional touring 'Passing Show' after leaving the Faces, focusing on folk and roots music.
- Recorded the well-regarded duo album 'Rough Mix' with Pete Townshend in 1977 while battling the early stages of MS.
Did You Know?
He was known by the nickname 'Plonk' within the Small Faces.
A passionate fan of gypsy and folk music, he lived in a mobile home for a time during his 'Passing Show' period.
He organized a series of benefit concerts for MS research called 'ARMS' (Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis) featuring Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck.
His song 'Ooh La La' was infamously disliked by Rod Stewart upon its recording, though Stewart later praised it.
“The idea was to get away from the big star trip, to get back to the roots of why we started playing in the first place.”
