When Ron Ivory was a child, his green plastic soldiers were not sent to war. Instead, they were lined up on stage and transformed into a band, performing with their guns transformed into imaginary guitars. Today, this vivid creativity has pushed the songwriter, vocalist and keyboardist into the leadership of four successful musical groups, a CD release and a vision for more great things to come.
The music business began early for Denver native Ivory. “I had always fantasized about being in a group,” he said. Growing up, Ivory and his sisters would pretend they were in a band, using brooms as instruments while singing to the Beatles and the Temptations.
Ivory’s parents and five brothers and sisters provided him with great exposure to music. “My older sister would always bring home the latest records. She was also a great dancer,” Ivory said. While growing up, his mother listened to a lot of music, including Ray Charles and Sarah Vaughan.
While attending Cole Junior High at the age of 13, close friend Donne Radford had a Motown-style group similar to Ivory’s current group, One on One. “One day while hanging out at one of the group member’s house, I was harmonizing everything they did. I was their missing link,” said Ivory. With that, the Tender Fore was born – a name with a twist conceived by Ivory. The group took off, performing for not only family and friends, but also singing on street corners, at schools, churches, community events, and military bases around Colorado and Wyoming. The Tender Fore even performed at a nightclub in Colorado Springs, even though they were under age. The group continued for a year after Ivory graduated from East High.
At the height of the Tender Fore, and well after, Ivory developed an interest in several musical instruments including the xylophone, guitar and piano. This new skill set would enhance his composing of songs and melodies. “I’ve always been a composer in my own right, ever since I can remember. I’ve always written,” he said.
Various other groups followed along the way and Ivory always emerged as the leader, even if not always by choice. “Sometimes I just wanted to show up and get paid, without all the other responsibilities, but it never worked out that way,” he said smiling.
In 1987, musician and friend Bobby Wells, who was working with K-High radio at the time, invited Ivory over to jam. History was made that night. “That’s when I met David Summers Jr., 22 years ago, and he is still a valuable part of my band today,” said Ivory. “We began practicing together a lot. We played off of each other and we still do that now.” From this union and because of their love for jazz, they formed the Ivory Summers Band.
Success, however, has not always come easy for Ivory. “We (the Ivory Summers Band) couldn’t get any work but we kept on practicing,” Ivory said. That determination and persistence paid off. “One day, an agent called and asked if we could do dance music and R&B. Gigs started coming in after that. I get mis-titled as a jazz musician a lot and I have it in me and love to do it, but I’m really an R&B soul singer,” he added.
A new name was needed for the band, and so in 1994, it was renamed the Miles Apart Band – to denote being set apart from other groups. The six-piece band started rolling, picking up and getting more gigs. The Miles Apart Band currently features horns, bass, guitar, drums, and keys, and always includes talented female vocals.
In 1993, Ivory wrote, “Hold On To This Love.” DeLoise Vaden, Ivory’s manager at the time, felt the song would be big. Vaden financed the project and recorded the single, a song that is also on Ivory’s CD, “Get Right to It.” “It felt real good to me to record, so I wanted to do more,” Ivory said. “I took over production and the next thing you know I was doing an album.” The CD release party was held at the Blue Bird Theater in Denver in March of ’95, complete with a full 11-piece band and choreographed dance routines. The solo CD release of “Get Right to It,” a mix of all originally composed and produced ballads such as “Be It Yours, Be It Mine” and R&B like “I Want You,” helped put Ivory on the map with increased gigs and new found prominence.
In 1999, Ron began working with Linda Styles in his duet group, Expressions. “I cannot say enough good things about Linda,” Ivory said. “When she left, no one could fill her shoes so I had to re-invent again.”
In 2003, the third band in Ivory’s current collection was formed. “I contacted Pat Duncan with Ijaba Event Planning and told her I was putting together a Motown/Classic Soul quintet. Our debut was at one of her events at which time “One on One” was born. I had to put a lot into the group initially, but then it took off with a life of its own and it is still my biggest selling group, besides my individual performances,” he said.
“Suite ti” is the most recent group that Ivory leads – a contemporary jazz ensemble and variation of the Miles Apart Band. The name, another creative twist on double meanings thought up by Ivory, denotes Suite - a group of things forming a unit or constituting a collection or set, and “ti” – the seventh tone of the diatonic scale.
Ivory has not always lived a life only of music. The father of five, two girls and three boys, had a long-time career in customer service, from bagging groceries as a teen to working at the post office. He also worked for 16 years for Mountain Bell/US West. The 1997 decision of US West to close their Denver office opened the door for Ivory to focus more on his musical career. And since 2001, after a brief stint working with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ivory has been pursuing music full time.
“I love performing, and hope to be like B.B. King – performing into my 80s and 90s,” Ivory said. “I am my biggest competition. I have to compete with myself to be better than yesterday. I can’t be anyone else and they can’t be me.”
Ivory is always trying to re-invent himself. “My biggest dream is to be a person that creates opportunity, educating people to seize their opportunities and to be prepared, whether it’s for their own business or personal relationships,” mused Ivory. At Mountain Bell/US West, he took advantage of many of the seminars they offered for stress management and self-improvement, learning a great deal about people and relationships in the process. He believes that communication is key in any type of relationship or venture.
“We have to take to heart President Obama’s phrase, ‘Yes we can,’ and work together,” Ivory said. “You have to start with yourself – that is your seed and your core. Then it’s your family. Once those things are right, then it expands. I can’t go out and fix the world but I can go out and plant the smallest seed that starts within.”
Ivory’s vision is always expanding in new directions. He would eventually like to have his own club or bistro providing live entertainment five or six nights a week, and opportunities for other musicians – jazz, neo-soul and particularly R&B artists. He would like a place for people to unwind and enjoy any day of the week, because “every day should be a good day,” according to Ivory.
A love of history must have had a hand in creating his self-made success. Coming full circle from the Tender Fore to One on One, and the promise of a second CD release, Ivory continues to compose and produce his own ongoing legacy. “Life is a continual learning experience,” he said. “I’m blessed and thank God every day that I can do what I do and get paid for it.”
