Ramble On Ron » jerry garcia

Grateful Dead, Ramble On Rose, Copenhagen 4/17/72

Ron Samuelson — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:49:05 +0000

My very first blog post was Ramble On Rose from 6/26/94. Check this one out from 4/17/72 and enjoy!

Thank You Jerry Garcia

Ron Samuelson — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:28:41 +0000

This week is Jerry week. It was Jerry Garcia’s birthday (he would have been 68) on August 1st and he died on August 9, 1995.

Thank you Jerry.

Sure Don’t Know What I’m Going For, But I’m Gonna For It For Sure

Ron Samuelson — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:32:35 +0000

Happy New Year! It was a great year for me personally and for Samuelson’s Diamonds. We are growing as a company in all directions both locally and online. In my first post of 2010, what better video to post than one of the Grateful Dead’s most meaningful songs, Saint of Circumstance. This was performed at Giants Stadium 6/17/91. Note Bruce Hornsby on piano and Jerry’s horn effect which he used so well in my first blog post where I posted a brilliant “Ramble On Rose” video. I was not at this show but I was at the show right before it at RFK 6/14/91 where they opened the second set with Help->Slip->Franklin’s, and of course a great Jack-A-Roe->Big River->Maggies Farm in the middle of the first set. (available on DVD “View From The Vault II”) This was a great run of shows which was the summer right after my first show on 7/12/90 that I talked about in a previous blog post. Anyway, listen to the words in this song. They are very inspiring and they inspire me grow and evolve to have an even better 2010.

Summer Concert Review

Ron Samuelson — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:31:58 +0000

As the late, great Jerry Garcia said, “Summer time’s come and gone my oh my.” And this summer went fast. I hit a few shows though, both local and national acts, and the results were mixed. I’m gonna start in the spring.

March – Blues Traveler

Yeah I folded and thought that they would be good. I’ve been seeing them ever since the Horde Festival way back in the early 90′s and remembered that they sucked live. Well 2009 was no exception. What a bore. Next time just play your first album all the way through and Hook as the encore and get a new guitar player and it will rock!

March – The Allman Brothers Band

I have a yearly tradition of going to The Beacon in NYC to see the Allmans and this year I headed up with Laura. Had a great dinner at Neo before the show BTW. Of course I missed Eric Clapton play with them the night before, but got to catch a great show as usual with a Bruce Hornsby guest appearance. The Allmans bring me back to college and The Beacon is the best place to see them. Plus, Warren Haynes is one of my all time favorite guitar players – only with the Allmans. I discussed Warren in the post – Warren Haynes Is Better With The Allman Brothers. Click here to see some video I took at the show.

June – Santana

Surprisingly, Santana was one of the best shows I saw all summer. I saw him in Vegas at the Hard Rock and was not expecting much. I guess that’s part of it – not expecting much. Sat in the 3rd row center and I have to say that Carlos delivered. Sure he played his hits and scattered a few new tunes in the set. But guess what? I wanted to hear him rip Oye Como Va, and he also did this killer version of Soul Sacrifice.

July – The Bridge

These guys are an up and coming band in Baltimore. I hope they make it because they are very talented and good guys. I had a great time at the show. Click here to see my band jamming out with lead guitarist from The Bridge, Cris Jacobs.

August – Phish

I’ve been seeing Phish for a long time and was pumped to have 2nd row at this show. I used to see them in small venues back in the early 90′s and as soon as they started playing bigger venues, I did not enjoy it as much. The show at Merriweather Post Pavillion was the one show that had a terrible setlist. The shows before and after had all the great songs that I love, so part of the blame was timing. Click here to see a funky jam I recorded, but overall, not the best show. Could I have gotten just one YEM, Stash, Golgi, Cavern, Suzy Greenberg, Chalkdust or any of the other fifty songs I like? Oh well.

August – The Black Crowes

I’ve seen the Crowes five times now. The first time in Atlanta 1991, then at a small bar in Baltimore called Bohager’s which was a great show, in Atlantic City at The Borgata, in Philadelphia with Jimmy Page, (which was one the best shows I have ever seen from any band – all Zepplin) and this last show at the Ram’s Head in Baltimore. This last show was sooo boring. All new stuff that I guess is on their new album, (that they recorded at Levon Helm’s farm) but it was slow. And of course The Ram’s Head oversold the show so you couldn’t even see them. It also didn’t help that Chris Robinson was a jerk on stage. He was the same way at Bohager’s but a least they played a great show. Hey Chris, big deal, you married Kate Hudson – she realized what a schmuck you are and got rid of you – good move Kate! Your brother’s Rich’s hot wife dumped him too and took his money. Maybe they’ll sell their diamonds to me through DivorceYourDiamond.com.

I saw a theme at these shows. All the bands that I loved so much in college went through (and are going through) the same trip. They were new and fresh and hungry when they first came out on the scene. Then they got sick of each other, got older, and went on to do solo stuff. Trey, Mike and Paige from Phish did it and so did Chris and Rich Robinson from The Black Crowes. Well, they didn’t make any coin from their solo careers, so they got back together to go on tour and make a new album to earn some money. At their live shows, they play all the new stuff and very little of the old beacause they’re sick of it, but the crowd wants to hear the old tunes. Because that’s what brings them back to a good time in their life and that’s what is familiar. Only music can give you that feeling. It’s like when I hear a Journey song and get that nervous feeling in my stomach that I had to ask a girl to slow dance. Now, I don’t expect them never to create new music. As an artist, that’s what it’s about. But when you’re paying $50 or more a ticket, maybe the band shouldn’t be so selfish and play some crowd pleasers and covers. Take it from Carlos Santana – it’s NOT all about them! Look, on a much much smaller scale, when my band Heller Highwater is practicing for a gig and we jam a tune that is fun, we nix it sometimes. Why? Because we say to ourselves. “Is anyone really gonna want to listen to this?” If the answer is no, then we don’t play it live. Maybe these guys who do this for a living should think the same way…

Happy Birthday Jerry!

Ron Samuelson — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:37:08 +0000

Yesterday was Jerry’s birthday – he would have been 67. I went to see The Bridge and they played a great version of Althea. Here’s Jerry and the boys doing it. Check out Jerry’s shiny new custom “tiger” guitar – my favorite. Turn the volume up and enjoy!

Happy 4th of July!

Ron Samuelson — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:45:33 +0000

Happy 4th everyone – check out this cool video from Jerry, Bobby and Los Lobos. Enjoy!

Grateful Dead, Omni Atlanta, 3-30-94

Ron Samuelson — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:05:21 +0000

This was my senior year of college down at Emory U. I remember this Here Comes Sunshine opener specifically – sitting in the 4th row center with my buddy Ryan. Got mail order and got lucky for this show. Jerry still rips here – I love it and wish I could be back there in that state of mind.

And here’s the second set opener Feel Like a Stranger that I don’t remember – but I was there, I think…

The Samuelson Family is Rebuilding Baltimore

Ron Samuelson — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:17:14 +0000

Well it’s almost here. After eight long years of waiting, negotiating, and thinking about the redevelopment of our city block, the 400 block of West Baltimore Street, we are finally ready to move forward. And it all started in 1972 when my grandfather, Milton Samuelson, bought four properties on this block after our move from 902 Pennsylvania Avenue, where we were since 1922. It’s the third move in the history of our business. This move is a lot closer, just across the street. But the change for Samuelson’s Diamonds, formerly known as “Boston Loan”, is huge.

My great grandfather, Samuel Samuelson, (yes you read it right) was an immigrant from Lithuania. He first owned a hay, feed and grain store (this was before there were cars) and then a bar. His five sons and a daughter were all born above that bar. Our store, a pawnshop, was actually founded by my great uncle, Aaron Samuelson, the oldest of the brothers. This store was the financier of all Samuelson Family business, whether it was real estate deals or other stores. One was Crown Loan, another Baltimore pawn shop, and Tommy Tucker Five and Dime Shops. In 1936, my grandfather, who was the youngest, bought our business from his older brother Aaron and it flourished. My father came to work in the 60′s and I’ve been here since I was a kid in the 80′s, on summer breaks and Saturdays. When I got here full time in 1994, we were a very successful pawnbroker and jeweler. Sure I liked the guitars and other cool stuff, but it was diamonds that interested me the most. I do believe that the pawn business suffered from the Home Depot’s, Guitar Center’s and Walmart’s of the world. Ebay became a big help to move stuff, but you can also argue that it hurts the pawnshop, as people can find pretty much anything second hand at a good price.

Anyway, I took my last Stratocaster and a nice Paul Reed Smith and I got rid of the other stuff. Just concentrated on jewelry and started catering to my website customers. There was, of course, a HUGE magnetic force of resistance coming from my father, and understandably so. The business had served him and his father very well. Why change? Why screw up a good thing? In 2003, when my brother-in-law, David, came on board, we tore it up. Why? One thing my grandfather always said was, “Change with the times.” There you go. Aside from the fact the I love the jewelry business, you have to change. And it’s for the better.

We partnered with David S Brown Enterprises and A & R Development and not only did we build ourselves a beautiful new jewelry store, but we’re making this block beautiful. PNC Bank, Five Guys, Panera Bread, and other major retailers will be our tenants and this will be a neighborhood that people will want to visit.

So CHECK OUT OUR FLICKR PAGE to take a look at the progress of our new store. Soon you’re gonna walk in and I’ll put up a video of your favorite song on the plasma, and we’ll hang out and talk about diamonds – or about music or sports or whatever you want. Get ready for the new Samuelson’s Experience in 2009 and take a look at one of my favorite videos that gives me chills every time I see it:

Oh yeah, and we have three new websites on the way…