Mark Acosta
Staff Writer
Ronny Cox’s songs and stories kicked off this semester’s Sundays at the Morgan concert series, 6 p.m. Sunday.
The four-member band played a different style of music, best categorized by most audiences as folk music. Cox does not consider his group as only a folk band, but a blend of different genres. Cox said he would play anything, so limiting himself to being only a folk band is not accurate.
“Acoustic-oriented music,” Cox said. “If I like it, it’s folk. My music is all over the place. If I think we can have fun with a song, I’ll do it.”
The band played for over two hours and while the event was not sold out, the crowd was receptive and enjoyed the mix of story-telling and music. The band mixed sounds of jazz, rock and country to create an original tune. Before the show started, Cox greeted every guest at the entrance himself.
“The kind of music I play is meant to be shared,” Cox said. “Sharing the human experience.”
Different from most concert settings, Cox shared some background on the songs’ inspirations and meanings before playing.
Cox told stories that were sad, funny and serious, giving the audience a look into Cox’s life and the way he made his music.
Senior business administration major Vanessa Sanchez was among those who appreciated the stories.
“I really enjoyed it, I like how he ties in a story with each song,” she said. “It is like you get an individual performance with each song.”
Matt Margucci, who plays the cornet, grand piano, accordion and the harmonica for the band said he had a good experience at La Verne. He described the environment as very positive and intimate.
Gary Lawrence, 53, of Agoura Hills traveled nearly two hours to see Cox perform.
“The performance was great and so was the venue,” Lawrence said. “I have seen him before and came to see him again.”
Cox is not only a musician, but an actor too.
His career has spanned over 40 years in music and in Hollywood as an actor. Cox has made more than 125 appearances in movies and television programs, best known for his role in the 1972 movie “Deliverance.”
Some of his other appearances in cinema include, “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Total Recall,” and “Robocop.”
The next Sundays at Morgan performance is the Scott Martin Latin Soul Band on Oct. 15.
Mark Acosta can be reached at mark.acosta@laverne.edu.
