Ronnie Montrose Death Confirmed As Suicide
The guitarist sadly took his own life
Billboard reports that the San Mateo County Coroner's Office reported on 6 April that the 64-year-old died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and the guitarist's family has since confirmed the circumstances of his death.Â
"By now, the devastating truth of Ronnie's death is public knowledge," reads a statement from Montrose's family on his official website. "We hope you can understand why we wanted to keep this news a private family matter for as long as possible. We can only hope that you will choose to celebrate Ronnie's life, and what his music meant to you, rather than mourn his passing. Ronnie would have wanted it that way. He loved being a guitarist, a composer, a producer, and a creator of magic. He fully understood his gifts, and yet he constantly pushed himself to evolve, improve, and make better music. He did this for himself, and he did this for you, because he adored and appreciated his fans. Please keep his energy, his joy, and his love in your hearts."
As well as battling a terrible illness towards the end of his life, Montrose apparently suffered from crippling clinical depression.
RIP Ronnie Montrose