Aug. 13
Concert by Ronstadt Generations
A multicultural mix of traditional Southwestern and Mexican songs, along with innovative original material, will be featured at the Arizona Senior Academy on Tuesday, as Ronstadt Generations y Los Tucsonenses take the stage for a concert at 11:30 a.m.
The Ronstadt family's musical history in the Southwest goes back across five generations to the 19th century, and the current configuration of the band continues the family tradition. Michael J. Ronstadt (guitar/mandolin/vocals) and his son Petie (guitar/bass/vocals) will be joined by Los Tucsonenses bandmates Alex Flores (tenor sax/vocals), Sam Eagon (upright/electric bass) and Aaron Emery (drums/percussion). Michael J. Rondstadt's other son, cellist Michael G. Ronstadt, is a member of the group but will miss Tuesday's concert due to a previous solo commitment.
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The band grew out of a project of Michael J. Ronstadt's to create a multimedia concert to present music from the Ronstadt family through time. A spontaneous Thanksgiving jam session in 2009 evolved into a rehearsal of generations of material with new arrangements forming the basis for their repertoire.
Michael J., along with older son Michael G. and younger son Petie, had previously spent seven years touring the country and the world with Ted Ramirez and the Santa Cruz River Band, and now found themselves touring again as Ronstadt Generations following the release of their first album, "Lulu."
While off the road, Michael J. and Petie began a regular gig at the Chicago Bar in Tucson, while Michael G. was in demand on the East Coast and in the Midwest as a solo cellist and ensemble artist. Over time, Michael J. and Petie's duo at the Chicago Bar evolved into a larger band that became an integral part of the Ronstadt Generations ensemble.
In 2012 a new CD was released: "Ronstadt Generations y Los Tucsonenses: Prelude." Also in 2012, Ronstadt Generations released "America Our Home" (a collection of American patriotic music in traditional Mexican styles) and "Memories of Christmas" (original arrangements of Christmas favorites with a Southwestern twist).
At Tuesday's concert Ronstadt Generations y Los Tucsonenses will present original music by the Ronstadt family as well as new arrangements of old favorites by songwriters such as Stephen Stills, Jimmie Rodgers, Paul Simon, Merle Travis and Robert Johnson.
Aug. 15
How early railroads crossed the Rockies
The early history of railroads in Colorado is a fascinating subject, describing a critical link in the development of the West and the dramatic saga of the railroad financiers and builders who competed for the various possible routes across and around the Rocky Mountain barrier.
Author and historian Virginia Miller Cornell spent much of her life in Colorado and has written several books about some of the state's notable characters. She'll share her experiences related to railroads in the Rockies in a talk scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. next Thursday at the Arizona Senior Academy.
The original railroad that crossed the Rockies on the Rollins Pass was the Denver Northwest and Pacific Railroad. The first trains on this route ran in 1904 on very steep grades that made it very difficult to conduct operations, especially when there were heavy snows at high altitudes.
The Moffat Tunnel, which opened in 1928, enabled trains to avoid many of these problems.
Cornell earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Kansas and master's and doctoral degrees at Arizona State University, majoring in Renaissance English literature. Her family built Millers Idlewild Inn and later a ski lodge near the Moffat Tunnel in Grand County, Colo.
Cornell was a manager of the inn for several years and later owned and edited the "Winter Park Manifest," a weekly newspaper. She also has written four books.
About Academy Village
• Events are held in the Great Room of the Arizona Senior Academy Building adjacent to the Academy Village Community Center, 13715 E. Langtry Lane.
• Nonresidents who want to ensure priority seating can make reservations by emailing info@arizonasenioracademy.org or calling 647-0980.
• To learn more about the academy, go to www.asa-tucson.org online.
• Visitors can buy lunch at the Academy Cafe across the courtyard from the Arizona Senior Academy Building. The cafe is open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Prices range from $4.50 to $9.50. For more information call the cafe at 647-0903.
• Academy Village is an active-adult community located off Old Spanish Trail six miles southeast of Saguaro National Park East. Its residents support the Arizona Senior Academy, a non-profit charitable organization whose mission includes offering free concerts and lectures to the public.
Leslie Nitzberg Charles Prewitt
