Old School is the first solo album by Ronnie Leatherman – bassist in the classic 13th Floor Elevators line-up – who has the distinction of playing on all three of the band’s studio albums.

Ronnie released his first single in June 1965 as Max & the Penetrators ‘Prayin’ Til Then b/w Kurl’ and, apart from lead singer Roky Erickson, is the only former band member to release a solo album. After graduation he joined the Elevators alongside Stacy Sutherland (lead guitarist & songwriter), former Penetrators vocalist Max Range, John Ike Watson and Benny Thurman (bass).

When it was discovered Benny had never played bass, Ronnie stood in while teaching him how to play. The band relocated to San Francisco to promote their debut single ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’ in August 1966 with Ronnie appearing on national TV and also headlining major venues such as The Fillmore and The Avalon Ballroom alongside Janis Joplin and The Grateful Dead.

Ronnie played on the band’s seminal Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators recorded in Dallas and Houston with producer Bob Sullivan. The follow-up single ‘Reverberation’ featured Ronnie’s outstanding lead bass line. After their West Coast tour and album release, he and John Ike quit the band, disillusioned by lack of promotion. However, Ronnie had already contributed to sessions that were not only used on the second LP, Easter Everywhere, but also on the singles ‘(I’ve Got) Levitation’ and ‘She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own’.

Although he performed his last show with the band in July 1967, Ronnie re-joined in October 1968 to finish the third studio album Bull Of The Woods, released in March 1969.

Post-Elevators, he performed with many bands and briefly featured in a line-up of the Golden Dawn – another highly regarded outfit who also released an LP on IA. His musical career was cut short when he was drafted to Vietnam in late 1968. Upon his return he joined Obie and the Raincrow with Stacy Sullivan and ex-Golden Dawn drummer Bobby Rector. He also featured in the Elevators reformations in 1973, 1977, 1984 and at the final show in 2015 when the band played to their largest ever crowd – over 10,000 fans.

Old School features guest musicians from his lengthy career, most significantly Paul Tennison who also briefly performed with the Elevators, and the late Terry Penny who was part of several power trios with Bobby Rector. The song ‘Coming Day’ was written in 1968 and originally intended but not submitted for Bull Of The Woods.

TRACK LIST LP

SIDE A

1. Old School
   
2. Further On Up The Road
   
3. Sensitive Kind
   
4. Coming Day
   
5. I Still Miss Someone 
   
6. Wonderful Tonight

SIDE B

1. Solitary Man
   
2. Born Under A Bad Sign 
   
3. My Baby Says She Loves Me
   
4. Don’t Let The Sun Catch Your Crying
   
5. Just A Closer Walk With Thee