dick ramberg's biography
I was born August 28, 1940 in Minneapolis, MN. Childhood retina cancer caused me to become blind, and I learned Braille in the first grade. My musical journey began in the 2nd grade, in 1947, when I started piano lessons. I switched to the clarinet in 1950. My mother, father, and brother John deserve immense credit for supporting me every step of the way.
On July 4, 1949 I heard Paul "Doc" Evans and his Dixieland Band and was immediately taken with the sound. I was also enchanted with the "Big Bands" of the 1930s and early 40s. Greats like Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Twin Cities clarinetists Harry Blons and Loren Helberg became my idols. These interests were nurtured by my first clarinet teacher, Reuben Haugen. After two years with him, I studied with Earl Handlon, principal clarinet with the Minneapolis Symphony.
During this time I began competing in junior high school talent shows. My first solo was Stardust and, somehow, I won the competition for the 7th grade. The following year I hit the big time playing the Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Brahms with piano accompaniement. I was named "all school winner," and, again, in the 9th grade. Roosevelt high school in Minneapolis brought opportunities to play in the concert band, and I was encouraged to join the swing band, which I did on tenor sax.
After my sophomore year I formed a seven-piece dance band — the Keynotes. It was a short-lived adventure. In August of 1957 I met Bill Evans who had just started a dixieland band. For the next two years the Mississippi Counts played around the Twin Cities, and I was beginning to form my life-long musical direction.
The next phase of my musical journey began on July 4th, 1958 when I met Charlie Devore at the grand opening of Doc Evans Rampart Street Club in Mendota, Minnesota. Charlie was playing with the new Hall Brothers Jazz Band, which I joined the following year. Charlie and I visited New Orleans for the first time in 1959, and I became familiar with Johnny Dodds, Omar Simeon, George Lewis, and Raymond Burke — some of the great jazz clarinetists. I met and visited with George Lewis and Raymond Burke. Little did I know that within four years I would be playing with Doc Evans himself — whose music had inspired me as a nine-year-old boy,
The next musical milestone occurred in 1964 when Dick Petersen appeared at my front door asking if I would like to join their banjo band, the Riverboat Ramblers. I had just finished a gig with Doc, so I said, "Why not?"
Three years later Dick and I became part of the new Barbary Coast Banjo Band, which became the Barbary Coast Dixieland Show Band.Since then we have played thousands of corporate shows, concerts, jazz festivals, boat cruises and church services throughout the nation and as far away as Nagasaki, Japan. A dozen recordings with the Barbary Coast, two with my Upper Mississippi Jazz Band, and now my own solo clarinet album give a lasting presence to my very special life in music.
the rest of the story… my other life
I’ve enjoyed an interesting life outside music. Oh, there was the childhood retina cancer which caused my blindness and me to learn Braille in the first grade. Up until last year things went pretty well when a series of medical issues occurred; my gall bladder was the first to go, then pancreatic cancer was diagnosed, followed by surgery, extensive chemotherapy and radiation. A coronary artery blockage two weeks after the pancreas surgery was repaired with a stent. The late breaking news is that “all signs are for a positive outcome.”
I certainly spent a lot of time in school, earning masters degrees in Political Science and Counseling, and licenses to sell investments and life insurance. I have had many opportunities to help other people achieve their goals. From 1968 to 1986 I served individuals with disabilities as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and Supervisor. Then as Assistant Director and Executive Director of the Minnesota State Council on Disability, I promoted opportunities for people with disabilities to live independent, productive lives. In 1986 my mid-life crisis led me to become a financial advisor helping people to invest so that they could retire more comfortably, send their kids to college and achieve other goals. My volunteer interests, too, have been directed to community service: founding president of my Rotary club, the Bloomington Daymakers, leader of Character Counts and Bloomington United for Youth which promote opportunities for and ethical conduct by our youth, and membership on the boards of Courage Center, Vision Loss Resources, and the U of M Vision Foundation. In 2002 I refocused my life to being a full-time musician.
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