Ron Asheton was a guitarist and founding member of the The Stooges. He was found dead in his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on January 6, 2009.
Death
According to reports, Asheton's assistant phoned police after being unable to reach the 60-year-old musician. Authorities say they found Asheton's body shortly after midnight at his home on Highlake Avenue in Ann Arbor—Detective Bill Stanford said Asheton "appeared to have been dead for at least several days." MLive.com: Stooges' guitarist Ron Asheton found dead in his Ann Arbor home
Quotes
"He developed such a unique sound and approach to his instrument and writing that I don’t think that everybody got it at first, but over the years other generations caught on. I think a lot of good musicians were influenced by what Ron pioneered". - Iggy PopRolling Stone: Iggy Pop Remembers Stooges' Ron Asheton... (January 12, 2009)
"To me, he was the epitome of raw punk. He wasn't flashy or over the top. It was raw. The riffs he wrote stood the test of time."—Jason Stollsteimer, guitarist for The Von BondiesDetroit Free Press: Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton found dead (January 6, 2009)
References
Fast Facts
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Name
Ronald Frank Asheton
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Born
July 17, 1948
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Died
January 2009
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Cause of death
heart attack
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Birthplace
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Fact:
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Fact:
Asheton's brother, drummer Scott Asheton, was also a founding member of the band
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Fact:
Played bass on The Stooges third album, Raw Power
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Fact:
Ranked as #29 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time
