Metal Magnitude was honored to cover Ronnie Montrose Remembered for the first time in 2020, and it was a delight returning to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the event, as part of NAMM 2026. 

For this NAMM JAMM honoring Ronnie Montrose, it’s fantastic to see that the night of music still upholds all the expectations – an all-star lineup gathered by Keith St. John, with a setlist that stands as a perfect blend and medley of Ronnie’s career, taking it up another notch each time.

Cathy Rankin, personality and singer/songwriter who regularly hosts the annual Metal Hall of Fame, made a stunning arrival on the scene to co-host with Keith St. John, the driving force of Ronnie Montrose Remembered who always plays the dual role of host and performer, sharing his expansive personal knowledge and admirable dedication to celebrating Ronnie’s life and career.

This year’s lineup of guests included first-time Ronnie Montrose Remembered appearances from Billy Sheehan and Reb Beach, as well as (in no particular order): Brad Lang, Doug Aldrich, Dino Jelusick, Matt Starr, Brad Gillis, Blas Elias, Robby Lochner, Mike Vanderhule, David Ellefson, Dyna Shirasaki, Katja Rieckerman, Robert Sarzo, Yogi Lonich, Stacey Blades, Keith England, Sean McNabb, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Ty Dennis, Ricky Z, 2026 Metal Hall of Fame Inductee Gilby Clarke, and more. C.J. Hutchins’ three-song set kicked off the show, and young guest guitarist Cole Buero shared the spotlight with some iconic artists while paying tribute to Ronnie Montrose. 

With a setlist spanning Montrose, Gamma, Edgar Winter Group and more, there was no shortage of high-energy performances of classic tracks like “Rock The Nation”, “Rock Candy”, “Bad Motor Scooter”, “Frankenstein”, “Tupelo Honey”, “Free Ride”, “Good Rockin Tonight”, and “Space Age Sacrifice”. Coming from different styles and genres of the rock and metal worlds, these musicians gathered to honor a legendary guitarist whose body of music lives on across generations. 

Another tradition of Ronnie Montrose Remembered is the auction, and this year was a productive one – the bids landed around $2,150 for a red guitar and $325 for a T-shirt signed by the lineup, with proceeds to benefit the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. 

We always look forward to seeing where this event goes, and it’s exciting to see it surpass a decade. Congratulations to Keith St. John and the team who makes it all happen! 

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Keep up with Keith St. John and his many activities at: https://www.keithstjohn.com/. 

Keep up with Cathy Rankin and her hosting and performing roles at: https://www.cathyrankin.com/. 

For more on Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, visit: https://www.sweetrelief.org/. 

Follow the Ronnie Montrose Remembered page for updates on future events: https://www.facebook.com/RonnieMontroseRemembered/.