MUM Tributes | Ron Barnett

Ron Barnett

Place bio text here.

RONBAR

He awoke one fine morning in Washington, DC

I want to manage a band! exclaimed he.

It wasn’t just any old music he’d choose.

Ron was a purist — for rhythm ‘n’ blues

He managed a local band, as his first test —

That band went nowhere — so Ronbar went West.

The rest of his family was all into science

But Ron at the time was not into compliance

He stuck out his thumb and was off for the Bay

And the rest became history, as you might say.

There he met Ritter, and Josie, and Paul

Susie and Emily, Peter and all.

They lived in one house, and they lived for “the Zone”

And shortly they came to be pretty well known

They recorded an album or two — but not three

Why? They disbanded — to attend TTC.

Ron took control of a little-known band

Under his guidance, it grew in demand

Ron masterminded the Tower of Power

Lifting it higher, hour by hour

The band was established up at the Bay

But Ron had his headquarters down in LA.

Why all that distance? One would think twice —

But National needed his expert advice.

Many years later, long years at the top

Ronbar decided the scene had to stop.

What to do next? Ron’s natural course:

Was the next plane to Switzerland — back to the source.

And then it was easy to know what to do:

A mid-life career change — to MIU.

They wisely put Ronbar in charge of expansion —

They gave him a hut, he made it a mansion.

The size of his office at first was a laugh.

Then he quadrupled it — and also his staff.

Each morning, on Highway 1, leading the pack

Was his light blue Dodge Colt with the bicycle rack.

Visitors Weekends were Ronbar’s showcases

People were drawn here from all kinds of places.

He managed them flawlessly, a true impresario

(Assisted by people like Marshall and Mario)

The people he managed were varied and many:

Susie, John, Rhoda, Larry and Lenny.

Over a thousand he brought for a visit

To see MIU and discover, What is it?

Ronbar held one of the vital positions —

Helping to guide the Registrar and Admissions

Now a certain young lady was Admissions Director

Ron quickly came to admire and respect her

With her fine heart and mind, her great qualifications

She processed all inquiries, all applications.

One day, as it happened, she happened across

An inquiry from someone surprising — her boss

It seemed he desired some more information

She replied — then received a complete application!

But should she accept him? His transcripts were iffy.

But his interview was great — she said yes in a jiffy.

Then Ron came to manage a new kind of band

Their name was “The Ad Board” — you understand

With Les playing lead and Bill playing bass

Mike on the mike with a grin on his face

A chorus of, oh, 1,500 behind them,

And Walter, as always, close by to remind them.

He never says “no,” and he never says “can’t”

So they asked him to take on the Physical Plant

And that’s where a mighty strange thing came to pass

That’s where he came upon . . . natural gas!

Natural gas beckoned — Ron couldn’t refuse

Who’d have guessed where he’d go after rhythm ‘n’ blues?

Was it love at first sight? Well, it came pretty near —

Next thing we knew, he was into high gear,

He created a company, and what a success

And MIU’s grateful, as words can’t express

Talk about management — Ronbar’s a vet

And now . . . introducing . . . RONBAR BARNETT!

January 28, 1983

This is sung to the tune of “Da Doo Ron Ron,” a hit Motown song by the American girl group The Crystals in 1963.