Rest In Peace, Dr. Purcell.
Dr. Ron Purcell passed away Wednesday, apparently from complications arising from a stroke. For those of us that were lucky enough to know Dr. Purcell, whether a friend or student, have lost a great teacher, mentor and companion on this journey. I was fortunate enough to study under Dr. Purcell for a couple years at Cal State Northridge a few years back. In fact, he was the sole reason I was accepted to the program from what I recall. My audition pieces consisted of a few tab pieces in Guitar World magazine, and “Dee” by Randy Rhodes. He told me a while after that although I was a long way off of their typical audition, he saw something in my playing and the department took a shot. I never did become a professional performer, but that road of study shaped the person I would become in many ways beyond my coursework. I’ll never forget my lessons, nor the things I learned from Dr. Purcell. Compassion, humor, history, poetry, professionalism, and more. What better than a legacy of generation after generation shaped by his passion for a guitar and life. (Click on the picture for a rundown of the man’s career. Not many have the impact he did). Come to think of it, its hard to picture the man without a smile on his face.
May your find yourself well in your next journey, Dr. Purcell. You will be missed.
