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Ruben Ramos

I was born in East Los Angeles on April 1st 1965. Basically at the corner of the 60 & 710 fwys! There's a hospital called Santa Marta Hospital north-west of the two freeways. It was a tiny hospital at the time. My brother Claudio just got his first car a 49 Ford sedan which by the way, was the car that took my mom to the hospital. I was due on March 31st but the April Fool joke had me breathing smog on April 1st. The ironic thing was it was the same hospital my father died in. For many years we lived near Whittier Blvd and I witnessed the East L.A. riots on August 29, 1970. I remember billowing smoke three blocks away and wanting to see what was going on. My mom came running after me since I’ve always had a insatiable curiosity about life and what makes people do what they do. Years later we moved to Boyle Heights and I actually slept through famous 1971 Sylmar earthquake. I woke up on the aftershock. When our last move to East L.A. in 1973 right off of Whittier Blvd. My sister in law Elia gave me my first guitar at the age of 9 years. It was a cracked classical nylon string guitar that I played for a few months until it imploded into a cloud of dust. Claudio knew I loved playing music so when he took a trip to Mexico he bought me a cheap guitar from the town of Paracho to replace the old one. I played in all the school bands through Jr. High to High School. Eventually I bought a Silvertone guitar just like the one seen with Jimmy Page and an amp that I still have to this day made for Macy's dept store from the 1950’s. It cost me five bucks at a yard sale. But I could turn it up and get lots of natural distortion! During that time I also played in a rock band called Crimson. We played all through Jr. High and High School. I sang lead vocals and picked up bass, which was a real challenge, but I managed to become a good singer. I also played with my brother Joe in a wonderful Latin Americana folk music group called Los Huicholos. We explored music from from Mexico down to the tip of Argentenia. You could say that I was wide eyed with all kinds of music from Los Folkoristas to Jimi Hendrix with a twist of Brahms and Bootsy Collins.

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Album Review

Skip Heller: Beyond These Hills: The Skip Heller Anthology 2017-20

Read "Beyond These Hills: The Skip Heller Anthology 2017-20" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


In terms of national exposure, Fred “Skip" Heller has always hidden in plain sight. Predominantly known in his native Philadelphia and adopted-native Los Angeles, Heller is a musician / composer / producer of note and has been for twenty years. He deserves wider notice if for no other reason than he shares much in common with Randy Newman—he captures the indelible American Spirit in song, warts and all, using the melodic vehicles struck from the heart of America. Heller has ...

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"So much passion and creativity come flowing out at all times that if you get caught in that aspect, you will miss his mastery in weaving melodies and harmonies with an astonishing finesse." Harvey Barkan- L.A. Jazz Scene

"After seeing him perform a show in which he played nylon flamenco guitar, steel string bluegrass guitar and played the stand-up bass in the same show, what else can one say? An amazing musician!" Bliss- Pasadena Weekly

Primary Instrument

Bass, acoustic

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

I love teaching and performing music. I have been teaching and performing professionally for more than 20 years. I've received professional training from some of the best teachers in the business. I have an extensive background in music ranging from performing on tours with rock bands, singing musical theater and extensive work on guitar playing Latin, flamenco, rock and jazz and steel string acoustic work. Believe me when I tell you, "you'll be studying with one of the most well rounded teachers out there." I promise you a great time learning and getting you to your goal in the most effective way

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