Volume 33 Number 6 July 8, 2009

Ron Ruedi & the Hurricanes

Band draws crowd to Lydia’s & many summer events

By Steve Rodin

For almost a decade-and-a-half, Ron Ruedi staged a phenomenal one man show at The Satellite Room in Rockwood. Even though it was a fairly large room, the place was always packed with fans and friends.

In 1998, a friend and fellow musician Mark Wilson approached him about forming a group. They created a band known as The Alley Cats. When that band broke up, JR Elliott joined him in Ron and the Hurricanes.

When the Satellite Room ceased operating, Ron and The Hurricanes moved a block or so west to Lydia’s at 183rd and E. Burnside, where they have every Friday and Saturday evening ever since. That’s more than eight years now and he continues to bring in a large crowd that can’t wait to hit the dance floor. As Ruedi likes to say, “American Graffiti is alive at Lydia’s.” The Hurricanes take you on a trip down memory lane, with references to all that was “cool” back then.

The group is now called Ron Ruedi and the Hurricanes. The current line-up consists of Ruedi on lead guitar, Johnny Pomar on bass, Cliff Smith on drums and Pat Mulvey on tenor sax. This group specializes in songs from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, with a sprinkling of ‘80s and ‘90s. They play everything from surf and British invasion classics, to country, blues and rock. All members of the band sing, but Ruedi handles the majority of the leads, crooning out songs by The Beach Boys, Jackson Five, Bill Haley, The Kingsmen and virtually every group you can imagine, including Bruce Springsteen. With a large crowd of long-time fans and friends, between-song banter with the audience is friendly and often. Former KISN DJ, the legendary Pat “The Preacher” Pattee, is always on hand at Lydia’s for anyone who wants to reminisce with him about the good old days.

It’s a short drive to Lydia’s for the majority of Ruedi’s large and growing fan base, but Ruedi’s route there spanned thousands of miles and almost a half century. It all started in Los Angeles almost 50 years ago when a 12-year-old Ruedi began taking lessons. A rebellious youth, he had a few personality conflicts with his first instructor so he moved on to another. Enamored by surf music and then the Beatles, Ruedi began to build his repertoire of great cover tunes from the late ‘50s and ‘60s.

Ruedi was also a fan of fast cars. Once he got his drivers license, he began street racing. When the local police got to know him to well, he moved to other towns in the LA area. Soon, his reputation as a racer had spread to where most of the competition, as well as the police, knew who he was. One officer, Sergeant O’Rourke, even got permission from Ruedi’s dad to go anywhere in the area to catch him race.

In the mid ‘70s, Ruedi moved to the Baltimore area. He was looking for work and found a local club owner who wanted to hire a band, but only could afford a solo performer. Years earlier, Ruedi had played around with drums and some trick alternative tunings, playing bass with the top strings and chords and leads with the lower ones. He decided to try putting it all together and found it worked. This was the beginning of his performing as a one-man band.

In 1976, he set a Guinness Book world record by performing for 29 hours and 2 minutes straight. This got him noticed by more than Guinness as one evening Charlie Byrd dropped in to catch his show.

In 1978, Ruedi finally made his way to Portland where he sought a job playing at the Satellite Room. A few minutes into the interview, the club manager asked if Ruedi remembered him. Ruedi couldn’t place the face, so the manager told him his name. Michael O’Rourke, formerly Sergeant O’Rourke, from LA. Ruedi remembered him now and felt he had no chance of getting the gig. Fortunately, O’Rourke did not hold it against him; things worked out and he ended up playing there every weekend for over 14 years. Ruedi still loves the classic cars of his youth and shows a few of them at local cruise-ins. He also has performed at many of those in his three decades here in Portland.

Saxophone player Mulvey, an Oregon City grad, has been with Ruedi since 2002. Mulvey was asked to join the band after years of “sitting in” with Ruedi at the Satellite. Pomar, who was born in the Philippines, has played with the band about two-and-a-half years now. He sings lead on a few songs while providing solid bass line to each selection. Drummer Cliff Smith is the newcomer to the group, replacing Rich Pace, who is moving to Las Vegas.

In addition to playing at Lydia’s every Friday and Saturday night, Ron Ruedi and the Hurricanes play an array of other gigs. They’ll appear Aug. 8 for the Rock Around The Block Cruise-in and Car Show in downtown Gresham. On Aug. 16, the band will be in Junction City Ore. for the class of ‘69 reunion. Aug. 22, they’re at Tippy Canoe for the Gresham High School Class of ‘69 Reunion. Aug. 30, they will do a benefit for the Oral Hull School for the Blind in Sandy.

Lydia’s has been a Rockwood hot spot for years. With The Hurricanes on weekends, Karaoke on Wednesdays and Thursdays, they also offer a full array of Oregon Lottery Video Poker Machines, a dozen TVs and great food and beverage options.