Guitar Payer Magazine June 2022 MICK RONSON - The Genius behind DAVID BOWIE

On the 50th anniversary of David Bowie’s ‘Ziggy Stardust,’ we celebrate Mick Ronson, the guitarist who helped bring Bowie’s vision to life.

In a brand-new interview with Bowie producer Ken Scott, we learn how Ronson became fully immersed in every aspect of Bowie’s tunes, from arranging keyboards and strings to writing hooks and performing the slashing power chords and melodic solos that graced such groundbreaking albums as ‘Hunky Dory,’ ‘Ziggy Stardust,’ ‘Aladdin Sane’ and ‘Pin Ups.’ But of course there was more to Ronson than his work with Bowie.

In a companion story, we speak with producer Tony Visconti, guitarist Ian Hunter and singer Morrissey, among others, to get the complete picture of Ronson and his career both before and after Bowie. And, as a special treat, we tell the complete story behind his 1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom, the guitar he played throughout his tenure with Bowie. In a fascinating interview, we speak with the fan who hunted down the guitar after it went missing years ago and brought it back to life.

In gear, we look at a nearly pristine 1969 Fender Rosewood Telecaster and tell how one dedicated sleuth tracked down the origins of the strangest guitar in the Beatles’ collection: George Harrison’s Bartell fretless, which some now believe was used on the White Album sessions.

In addition, this issue features new interviews with Ry Cooder, blues guitarist Larry McCray, Eric Krasno, Mavis Staples axeman Rick Holmstrom and Albert Cummings. Plus, Vicki Peterson reveals the tales behind five songs from her careers with the Bangles, the Continental Drifters and the Psycho Sisters. All this plus a lesson in Bonnie Raitt’s slide style, the latest gear, vintage guitars and much more.