Singer, songwriter and bass player Ronnie Lane (April 1, 1946 - June 4, 1997) (nicknamed "Plonk") is best known for his membership in two prominent British rock bands, The Small Faces (1965-69) and The Faces (1970-75). He quit The Faces in 1973 and formed his own band Slim Chance in 1973 to record the album Anymore For Anymore, showcasing his own blend of British rock, folk and country music.
After initial success with the singles "How Come" and "The Poacher" (the latter drawn from the album) he moved to Island Records and issued Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance and One For The Road. He recorded an album with Pete Townshend, Rough Mix and a final major solo album See Me.
He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the late Seventies (his mother had also suffered from the disease) and by 1983 had become wheelchair-bound and in desperate need of money for medical treatment. His friends rallied round and held a benefit at the Royal Albert Hall, the A.R.M.S.Concert (Action for Research on Multiple Sclerosis) featuring Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Kenny Jones and more. There were also a series of benefits in the USA.
Lane moved to Texas in 1984 where the climate was more beneficial to his health and struggled to continue playing, performing for the last time in 1992 at a Ron Wood gig. Rod Stewart generously continued to donate money for his medical care because there were no royalties from The Small Faces' work, a result of alleged mismanagement by their record label, Immediate . It was only through the efforts of drummer Kenny Jones that the two surviving members were eventually able to secure ongoing royalty payments in the 1990s.
An album of live BBC recordings was about to be released to raise money for his care when Lane passed away.
Solo discography
- Anymore For Anymore
- Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance
- One For The Road
- See Me
- You Never Can Tell (The BBC Sessions)
- Kuschty Rye (The Singles 1973-1980)
- Tin and Tambourine (compilation)
- Rocket 69 (Live on German TV)
- Live In Austin
