The Ronnie Montrose Remembered 10th anniversary concert took place Saturday, January 24, 2026, at the Grand Theater in Anaheim, CA, during NAMM 2026, celebrating the legacy of legendary rock guitarist Ronnie Montrose. The show, produced and hosted by Keith St. John (Montrose vocalist 1998-2012) along with co-host Cathy Rankin, featured an incredible lineup of musicians that included artists associated with Montrose’s own career as well as an all-star lineup of performances that included classics from every era of his career (Montrose, Gamma, Edgar Winter and Van Morrison).
The show was both musically strong and heartfelt, celebrating Montrose’s musical legacy and innovation. A mix of tight playing and emotional resonance from fans and performers alike throughout the night made for a truly memorable experience.
The almost 2 1/2hr show kicked off with St. John and Rankin giving a brief monologue of the night ahead, and the first performance of the night was Van Morrison’s “Wild Night“, followed by “Tupelo Honey“, then diving into Edgar Winter’s “Free Ride”. Still to this day, many people do not realize how many classic artists Montrose worked with back in the beginning of his career, which is what helped define his amazing catalog of music.
Photo Credit: Chris Loomis
The first Montrose song, “Rock the Nation,” brought the energy level up a few notches as Dave Amato from REO Speedwagon took over on guitar with St. John on vocals, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Matt Starr on drums. From here, it was a nonstop rotating lineup of musicians playing at the next level, with the focus obviously on the guitarists, who gave a razor-sharp tribute to Ronnie Montrose throughout their time on stage.
Some highlights included “Battle of the Snakes“ as current and former Whitesnake guitarists Reb Beach and Doug Aldrich traded licks on “Good Rockin’ Tonight”. 14-year-old guitarist Cole Buero ripped it up on “Paper Money“ before Brad Gillis from Night Ranger gave a master class on playing Gamma’s 1980 hit “Voyager”. A killer version of Edgar Winter Group’s instrumental “Frankenstein“ led by Katja Rieckermann (Rod Stewart Band) on Saxophone heated the Grand Ballroom.
The hits kept coming as Doug Aldrich was joined by David Ellefson (who briefly played in Montrose) with St. John on vocals. Blas Elias on drums played a killer version of “Space Station #5,” then, of course, the night ended with “Rock Candy“ followed by “Bad Motor Scooter“ that had Dave Amato, Gilby Clarke, Doug Aldrich, and Brad Gillis sharing the guitar parts perfectly honoring Montrose’s two biggest hits.
So many musicians contributed to this wonderful celebration of a musical legend gone too soon. Kudos to Keith St. John for keeping Ronnie Montrose’s legacy alive and well, and cheers to another 10 years of Ronnie Montrose Remembered. Thank you to all the musicians, production crew, stage crew, and behind-the-scenes magicians for making this event possible. As fans of Ronnie Montrose, there is no substitute for the authenticity and dedication of this event.
Ronnie Montrose Remembered
Key contributors to Ronnie Montrose Remembered (not a complete list):
Dave Amato – REO Speedwagon
Billy Sheehan – Mr. Big, Winery Dogs
Brad Gillis – Night Ranger
Sean McNabb – Lynch Mob
Doug Aldrich – Dead Daisies
Reb Beach – Winger, Whitesnake
Gilby Clark – former Guns N ‘ Roses
David Ellefson – former Megadeth, Metal Church
Blas Elias – Slaughter, Trans Siberian Orchestra
Matt Starr – Ace Frehley band
Brad Lang – Jack Russell’s Great white
Robert Sarzo – Hurricane
Mike Vanderhule – Y & T
Yogi Lonich – former (Fuel/Buckcherry)
Stacey Blades – former LA Guns
Photo Credit: Chris Loomis
Ronnie Montrose Remembered Set List:
Wild Night – Van Morrison
Tupalo Honey – Montrose
Free Ride – Edgar Winter Group
Open Fire – Montrose
Rock the Nation – Montrose
Good Rockin’ Tonight – Montrose
One Thing On My Mind – Montrose
Mean Streak – Gamma
Paper Money – Montrose
Make It Last – Montrose
Voyager – Gamma
I Don’t Want It – Montrose
Frankenstein – Edgar Winter Group
Connection – Montrose
I Got the Fire – Montrose
Space Age Sacrifice -Montrose
Town Without Pity – Montrose
Space Station #5 – Montrose
Rock Candy – Montrose
Bad Motor Scooter – Montrose
Photo Credit: Chris Loomis
