William George "Rams" Ramsay (January 12, 1929 – March 2, 2024) was an American jazz saxophonist and band leader based in Seattle. In 1997, he was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame, the top of eight Golden Ear Award categories presented annually since 1990 by the Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle. Ramsay performed on all the primary saxophones – soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone – as well as clarinet (his boyhood instrument), and bass clarinet. Ramsay died on March 2, 2024, at the age of 95.[1]
Performance affiliations
Alto sax in the Buddy Morrow Band in the early 60s
Bari sax in the Count Basie Orchestra for two years; Ramsay was hired in April 1984, three weeks before Basie died, to sub for Johnny C. Williams (born 1941), who had been hospitalized; Ramsay got the call from Basie's road manager, Sonny Cohn; Bobby Mitchell had recommended Ramsay to Basie after having heard him with the Benny Goodman Band
In the 1980s, Ramsay led his own big band that performed Sundays at Parnall's Jazz Club in Seattle
Member of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra since its founding in 1995.[2]
Co-leader, with Milton Edwin Kleeb (1919–2015),[3] of the Ramsay-Kleeb Big Band. Based in Seattle, the ten-piece jazz band played the music of Miles Davis, Gil Evans, and Gerry Mulligan.
Note: In the 1980s, Ramsay played tener sax with Thomas "Red" Kelly's quintet (jazz bass; 1927–2004),[4]Carl Fontana (trombone), David H. Stetler (drums; 1923–2002),[5] and Donald Wing Chan (piano; born 1941)[6]
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, Sacred Music of Duke Ellington, Origin Records (live performances at University Christian Church, Seattle 2001–2005, released 2006) OCLC70212809
From September 28, 1948, to June 25, 1952, Ramsay served in the U.S. Army. He ended his tour with an honorable discharge.[9]
Family
Parents
William George Ramsay was born in Washington to William Mathew Ramsay (1902–1969) and Edna Mae (née Forsythe; surname at death – Skramstad; 1902–1999). William and Edna were married October 22, 1921, in Lewis County, Washington. Edna remarried Thorvald N. Skramstad (1903–1989) in Centralia, Washington on March 26, 1972.
Sister
Bill Ramsay had one sister, Gloria Phyllis Ramsay (1923–2003), who, in 1946, married Tim Clarence Oconnell (1918–2008).
