Malden High School Alumni
Malden, Massachusetts (MA)
In Memory of
Ronald Oscar Fransen
Passed away 2017
Ronald Oscar Fransen attended Malden High School in Malden, MA.
Class of 1963
Date of Passing Jan 22, 2017
Date of Passing Jan 22, 2017
http://www.easyreadernews.com/144788/wizard-fransen-guitarist-studio-engineer-canned-heat-rare-earth-dirk-hamilton/
EasyReaderNews
Added on January 30, 2017, Kevin Cody
‘Wizard’ Fransen was a keyboard player, studio engineer for Canned Heat, Rare Earth, Dirk Hamilton
Ron “Wizard” Fransen, one of the beach city’s most highly regarded and under recognized musicians, died Sunday, January 22, following a long illness. He was 71. The keyboard player performed on albums and on stage with Ricky Nelson, Canned Heat, Rare Earth, Dirk Hamilton and Frank Zappa, as well as with local bands at local clubs, including the Lighthouse. He earned his nickname for his wizardry as a studio engineer, recalled his former girlfriend Gloria Sohler.
Fransen told long time friend Sue Villican that he would have died at a young age had he not been fired from the Ricky Nelson Band.
“He said Ricky wanted everyone in the band to sing and Ron couldn’t sing. A few weeks after Ron was kicked out of the band, Ricky and five members of his band died in a plane crash on their way to a concert in Texas.” ER
Ron was born March 12, 1945 in Boston, Mass.. He had a son Matthew.
EasyReaderNews
Added on January 30, 2017, Kevin Cody
‘Wizard’ Fransen was a keyboard player, studio engineer for Canned Heat, Rare Earth, Dirk Hamilton
Ron “Wizard” Fransen, one of the beach city’s most highly regarded and under recognized musicians, died Sunday, January 22, following a long illness. He was 71. The keyboard player performed on albums and on stage with Ricky Nelson, Canned Heat, Rare Earth, Dirk Hamilton and Frank Zappa, as well as with local bands at local clubs, including the Lighthouse. He earned his nickname for his wizardry as a studio engineer, recalled his former girlfriend Gloria Sohler.
Fransen told long time friend Sue Villican that he would have died at a young age had he not been fired from the Ricky Nelson Band.
“He said Ricky wanted everyone in the band to sing and Ron couldn’t sing. A few weeks after Ron was kicked out of the band, Ricky and five members of his band died in a plane crash on their way to a concert in Texas.” ER
Ron was born March 12, 1945 in Boston, Mass.. He had a son Matthew.