Welcome to the website of

Ronnie Earl and

The Broadcasters

“…he is one of the most serious blues guitarists you can find today.  He makes me proud!”...B.B. King
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Baron Records 
45 RPM recordings with Ronnie Horvath 
from roughly 1979


Guitar Johnny and the Rhythm Rockers
Baron EP 501
  
(7" 45 rpm, clear blue vinyl)
 
A side: 
I Wish Your Picture Was You (L. Price) 02:20
As Long As I'm Moving (C. Calhoun) 02:46

B side: (recorded live)
Good Rockin' Mama (J. Nicholas) 2:17
Down In The Alley (J. Nicholas) 1:36 

Personnel is probably:
John Nicholas: guitar and vocal, 
Sarah Brown: bass, vocal on A-2 
Ronnie Horvath: guitar, 
Kaz Kazanoff (possibly): saxophone, 
Terry Bingham : drums
 

Baron Records was based in Melrose, MA and had artists like Sleepy LaBeef, J.B. Hutto, Cub Koda and Eddy Clearwater on the label. The label folded around 1982 or so. Recorded at Viscount Studios in Cranston, Rhode Island (1977). Produced by Guitar Johnny and engineered by Russ Martin


 
Guitar Johnny and the Rhythm Rockers CD 
(FCD 106 - New Rose)
 

New Rose Records & Distribution
25, rue du General Lecterc
94270 Le Kremlin Bicetre
France
01. Too many bad habits
02. Good rocking mamma 
03. Nip sip
04. Teardrops on my window pane
05. As long as i`m moving
06. Lost time
07. Two bones & a pick
08. I wish your picture was you
09. Froggy bottom
10. Memory pain

Thanks to Carsten Larsson (Denmark) & Joachim Hunke (Germany) for the info on this one
 
Sugar Ray and the Bluetones 
featuring Little Ronnie 
Baron EP 502
(7" 45 rpm, clear yellow vinyl)
A Side:
Oh Baby (J. Watson) 2:17
Bite The Dust (R. Norcia) 3:47

B Side:
Frankie and Johnny (trad.) 2:56
You Better Be Sure (E. Hooker) 2:48
 

Personnel is unlisted but probably:
Sugar Ray Norcia: vocals and harmonica 
Ronnie Horvath: guitar 
Michael "Mudcat" Ward: bass 
Anthony Geraci: piano
Neil Gouvin: drums
 
Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters featuring the Sensational Sugar Ray
Leopard Records (1981)
A Side:
The Hump (R. Youngblood)
Sad City (Leslie Johnson)

B Side:

I'm Holding On (Herman Parker)
Blues In D Natural (Earl Hooker)

Ronnie Earl Horvath - Guitar; 
Sugar Ray Norcia-vocals and harmonica;
Anthony Geraci - Organ;
Michael "Mudcat" Ward - Bass;
John Rossi - Drums 

 
Smokin
1983 
 Black Top 1023 11661-6523-4/1
Cassette only (1982)
A Side:
Ronnie Johnnie
I Smell Trouble
She Winked Her Eye
Baby Doll Blues

B Side:
Ridin' in the Moonlight
My Home is a Prison
Sick and Tired
I'll Take Care
San Ho Zay 

Guitarist Ronnie Earl -- well-remembered for his work as a member of Roomful of Blues -- recorded his first solo album with guest vocalist/harmonica players Sugar Ray (then of the Bluetones, now lead singer for Roomful) and Kim Wilson (of the Fabulous Thunderbirds). 

The album is particularly evocative of `50s-style Gulf Coast blues.
 

Smokin is "a bare-knuckled, sweat-drenched R & B blowout ... that may amount to the best recorded example of the so-called 'blue wave' movement.... [Earl] takes charge with a vengeance." Taking a cue from the late Earl Hooker, Earl displayed some fine slide work (in regular tuning, no less) on "Baby Doll Blues" and literally tore up a version of Freddie King's "San-Ho-Zay." All in all, it was quite an impressive debut.  Musician Guide 




U.K. Release 1985
U.K. Release 1985
 
They Call Me Mr. Earl 
(1984)
 Black Top N/A 11661-6533-4/1 


A Side: 
You Give Me Nothing But The Blues 
Follow Your Heart 
Why Should I Feel So Bad? 
You've Got Me Wrong 
Narcolepsy (Mr. Earl Wakes Up Late!) 

B Side: 
Some Day, Some Way 
Drinking And Thinking 
Let Me Love You, Baby 
No More Chances 
Waitin' For My Chance
LP Cover
European Release
 
I Like It When It Rains
(1986/1990) 
Antone's 0002 

Ridin’ With Ronnie  (3:49)
Linda   (4:54)
Midnight Clothes ( 4:11)
Mutcika     (4:32)
I like It When Rains   (3:10)
Hangover    (2:47)
Just Pickn’   (3:04)
Walkin’ and Cyrin’  (2:43)
Down on Guadalupe  (2:15)
Anna Lee  (6:49)
Sitting on Top of the World  (4:45)
Blues for Jimmie & Jesse  (2:45)

 
Deep Blues 
(1988) 
Black Top -6533-2 
(CD compilation of the two Blacktop recordings above
)
Ronnie Johnnie   (2:51)
I Smell Trouble   (4:18) 
She Winked Her Eye (3:47) 
Baby Doll Blues (6:00)
Ridin' in the Moonlight  (4:00) 
My Home is a Prison (5:10)
Sick and Tired  (2:26) 
I'll Take Care of You (5:10)
San Ho Zay  (3:27)

You Give Me Nothing But The Blues (2:37) 
Follow Your Heart (3:39) 
Why Should I Feel So Bad? (5:26)
You've Got Me Wrong  (3:08) 
Narcolepsy (Mr. Earl Wakes Up Late!) (3:52)
Some Day, Some Way (3:24) 
No More Chances (3:14)
Waitin' For My Chance
 (2:40)
 

Guitarist Ronnie Earl was featured from late '79 through the mid-'80s with Roomful of Blues, and commenced recording solo albums while still with Roomful. His second Black Top album, released in 1985, is another horse-doctor's dose of masterful, biting blues guitar and impassioned, no-nonsense performances, with Sugar Ray on vocals.
 
"A gutsy record, with Earl in fine form." --Billboard

Note: Black Top cassette 1033, They Call Me Mr. Earl, and CD 1033, Deep Blues, are identical.



 
Soul Searchin
(1988) 
Black Top 

Soul Searchin'
Backstroke
Ships Passing in the Night
You're the One
Soul Searchin'
It's My Soul
Evening Sun
Jerry Jumps In
After All
I Don't Believe
Blues for Bone
Sufferin'
Ships Passing in the Night (4:52)
 (alternative version with out horns) 

For his third Black Top album, Ronnie Earl unleashed a lethal version of the Broadcasters, including former Muddy Waters sideman Jerry Portnoy on harmonica, Texas singer Darrell Nulisch, Ron Levy on organ and piano, and former Roomful of Blues guitarist Duke Robillard. 

 
"The results sparkle with boiling jams, pindrop ballads and roving shuffles" ~ Houston Chronicle