Ronald Patterson

Ronald Edmund Patterson was born September 4, 1950 to the union of Robert Patterson and Thelma Allen. He graduated from Nettie Lee Roth High School in 1968 and The Ohio State University in 1973. Ronald is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents James and Mamie Finney and Step-father, John Waters, Step-brother John Hardy.

As a native of Dayton, Ronald understood the importance of funk music to the city. After graduating from The Ohio State University, he took the promoting of acts and funk shows to a new level. He worked with Al Hayman Presents, Dick Griffey, Don Cornelius, Pablo and Associates, Tiger Flower and many more to bring shows to various venues in Dayton and across the country. Those concerts included Prince, The Parliament Earth Tour, Patti LaBelle, The Gap Band and many others.

After relocating to Atlanta in 1988, Ronald started at Ichiban Records where he released projects on Vanilla Ice, MC Breed, Kilo, Curtis Mayfield, The Chi-Lites, Slave, William Bell, Tyrone Davis, Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Millie Jackson, Billy Paul, and so many more. Later, he moved to Dallas and worked for TQ Management with acts such as Vanilla Ice, The Mac Band, Don Diego, and Miki Blue.

Ronald returned to Ichiban and released 95 South under RoPat Enterprises. He later went to Intersound/Platinum Entertainment and released a series (On Tour) that featured first-time live recordings of some of the best Funk Bands in the business. These bands were The Ohio Players, The Gap Band, Cameo, Dazz Band, Con Funk Shun, Lakeside, KC and the Sunshine Band, and George Clinton. Some other releases included Parliament and Sinbad’s Soul Festivals, TRAPP featuring 2PAC and Notorious B.I.G., and Booty Mixes 1&2. He also released several gospel and blues albums for Cissy Houston, Vickie Winans, Candi Staton, Jennifer Holliday, William Becton & Friends, and a blues series for the House of Blues. He received two Gold and Platinum Records for the promotion on 95 South’s “Whoomp There It Is!” and he received seven Gold and Platinum Records for Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice Baby.”

Ronald worked with Tom Joyner to provide artists for the popular “Tom Joyner Morning Show” live shows. He traveled with the artists and acted as their liaison. Ronald was instrumental in computerizing reports for record companies and for concert/event productions.  He was in the music industry in promotions/marketing for over 30 years.

After semi-retiring from the music industry, Ronald managed an Office Supply call center for over 10 years in Atlanta, Georgia.

Accomplishments: President – Ropat Enterprises; Director of Marketing – Ichiban Records; National Director Radio Promotions – So-Lo Jam Records; Director of Marketing – TQ Management; Vice-President Urban Music – Platinum/Intersound Records; President – National Black/Urban Radio Promoters for three years

Honors: 1993 – Indie Award for 95 South – “Whoomp There It Is!”; 1995 – National Black Programmers Coalition, President’s Award

On Saturdays during football season, Ronald wouldn’t be any place else but in front of his TV watching The Ohio State Buckeyes football team. He wore a T-shirt or sweatshirt representing his team almost daily.

Ronald is survived by his wife Maxine of 48 years; two daughters: Rhonda McCoy (Michael) of Dayton and Theron Patterson of Riverdale, GA; three grandchildren: Breia Jefferson, Shannon McCoy and Brandon McCoy; two great-grandchildren: Jaxson Robinson and Lauryn Ramsey:  brother Philip Waters; sister Robin Carter: sisters-in-law – Sandra Jones, Hampton, GA; Denise Fowler (Edward) – Palmetto, GA; Traci Jones – LaGrange, GA: brothers-in-law – Fred O’Neal (Rozena) – Carrollton, GA; Derek Jones (Doris) – Atlanta, GA; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins. Close friends – Maurice Alfred, Columbus, OH; Cecil and Claudia Jones, East Point, GA; Tim and Jennifer Moore, East Point, GA; Robert and Stella Wilson, College Park, GA., Doris Drayton, Los Angeles, CA. and Robert Brown, Los Angeles, CA.

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