Ron Howden drummer and vocals for Nektar 1/5/1945 – 9/ 29/ 2023
From the official band’s newsletter:
“It is with a heavy heart that I have to tell you that my friend and rhythm section partner for 60 years, Ron Howden, has passed on to the great gig in the sky. He was with us on Sunday when we jammed on new music at Ryche’s house and we had a great day with him. Plans were made for the future, record the new music, get it out and maybe a short tour in the spring to support it. Don’t know where that stands now he is gone but I know he was a big part of it on Sunday. Frankly I am heartbroken, I cannot imagine a world without Ron in it.
He has been battling different health problems including Cancer since 2016 and beat it all back and survived each occurrence. Chemotherapy knocked him out but he played through it all.
Born in Sheffield, England in January 1945 he is survived by his wife Ann Howden, Ilene Howden, his sister Brenda, Daughters Julie and Jeff Luoma, Tanya and John Schamper, grandsons Corey and Dylan Regos, Tyler and Matthew Schamper and the entire Nektar family. Special kudos to John Kerlin who sat vigil with Ann.
We played together since we were kids (18 and 19 respectively). I see him now coming up to the front of the stage in Nancy, France and telling me he wanted to play with us. The band was the Upsetters. We were playing US Army bases. I knew him well from the Sheffield scene. We swapped drummers that night and our lifetime trip together started that night. It was December 1964.
There will be a celebration of life for Ron in the near future.
Love to all” – Mo
