Ronny Cox
“Songs…with Repercussions”
By Vicki Ingle, Plank Road Folk Music Society

Put your dancin’ shoes on – the opening tune, “Can I Come Back Home,” on Ronny’s latest CD, “Songs…with Repercussions,” had me movin’ and groovin’around the kitchen. But, not to worry, after that song you can sit down and rest a spell to one of the sweetest renditions of “The Water is Wide” that I think I have ever heard, with Ronny gently delivering that beautiful melody in a strong and clear voice.

Ronny is backed on this diverse CD by veteran musicians once banded
together with singer/songwriter Jack Williams. Fiddler Robert Bowlin
joins in to add a magical touch to every song on which he plays, a true
delight. Released on Wind River Records (www.folkera.com/windriver),
Ronny dedicates this project to his late wife, Mary.

Ronny was born and raised in New Mexico, which brings an authenticity to
his choice of material on this CD. Roughly half of the tunes bring you to
a place you may not have ever been to before – a place where men still
ride horses and go on cattle drives; as you listen to this music, you find
yourself longing to be there. But that place isn’t so far away - the
universal themes of these well-written songs enable you to relate to every
sentiment.

Not surprisingly, one of the most ear-catching tunes on the CD, “Give it
to the Rich Man,” was written by Jack Williams, who (lucky for us) tours
through this area regularly, sometimes with Ronny. Ronny co-wrote a few
selections, including “Santa Ana Winds,” which is another favorite of
mine. Other favorites, “Better Man” and the gorgeous song “Holy Now,”
make you think well of Ronny just for including them on the project.
From “Better Man,” written by Eric Schwartz:

“If you’re walking on the street
And you see a soul who’s in defeat
Don’t you pass him by, no matter what you do
‘Cause brother don’t you understand
When you lend a helping hand
The person that you really help is you,
“Love your neighbor
And he will love you too
If you do the things the better man would do.”

Maybe it’s my country roots that draws me to this particular CD, touches
my heart. Maybe it’s because this CD contains a wonderful grouping of
songs that are presented just the way they should be. Enjoy.
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Any review of Ronny’s work would be amiss without mentioning his role in
“Deliverance,” where he played guitar on “Dueling Banjoes” with the kid on
the porch. (He has a good story about that song too.) That movie
launched his career as an actor and over the years he appeared in many
movies and countless television projects. More than once, I’ve jumped up
from the couch while watching a movie, pointing at the screen and yelling
to Rich, “Look, look, I think that’s Ronny! It IS Ronny!”

If you go to Ronny’s concerts you will learn a little more about his life
as an actor and about his family. You will hear about his late wife,
Mary, who was the love of his life, and also hear humorous stories about
his grandchildren. Ronny is an ace storyteller, through music and the
oral tradition. I imagine it’s his training as an actor that enables him
to relate to an audience in a way I’ve never quite seen before in the
world of acoustic music.

It’s too cool that you get to meet this guy, face to face, and talk to him
at his concerts. Sometimes he stands by the door of the venue like a
Walmart greeter (in a good way) and says hello to people as they enter.
You’ll even find him walking among the guests, sitting down in an empty
seat and chatting with folks. It’s impressive. He is, beyond a doubt, a
people-person with many loyal fans. I am happy to be included among them.