Chorus Director - Ron Montgomery
Ron Montgomery, director of the Crimson Pride, was raised in a musical family in Moulton, Alabama and began taking piano lessons at age 6. Music has always been an important part of his life.... singing in the LCHS Glee Club, church choirs, University of Alabama Choral Union, and finally the Crimson Pride Barbershop Chorus.
His church choir experience includes interim director of the Calvary Baptist College Choir and Youth Choir, Minister of Music at Unity Baptist (Tuscaloosa) and Flatwoods Baptist (Northport), and choir at Forest Lake United Methodist (Tuscaloosa) For the past 43 years, he has served as choir director/organist at Tuscaloosa First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Three years ago, he was honored on his 40th anniversary with a Proclamation from Alabama's Secretary of State.
Ron's first experience with Barbershop came in the mid-1970's when Bobby Wooldridge, with whom he sang in the UA Choral Union, invited him to visit the Tuscaloosa Chapter. From the first night, he was hooked and on his third visit, the board asked him to become the new director! He proudly continues to serve in this position 43 years later.
During his time as a Barbershopper, Ron has had the honor of singing with three of his best friends...Tom and Jim Cain and Freddie Braswell...in the Stacked Deck quartet. Stacked Deck won the Dixie District Championship in 1976 and represented Dixie District in International Competitions eight times, finishing in the Top Twenty twice and was 15th in 1980. The “Deck” became the 2012 District Seniors Champs and then were Bronze Medalists in the 2013 Seniors International in Orlando, Florida. In 2008, Stacked Deck was inducted into the Dixie District Hall of Fame.
Even though still a member of the Stacked Deck, Ron now sings in another Seniors quartet, Papa Joe's, who were the Seniors District Champs in 2016 and, the following January, placed 7th in International Competition in San Antonio, Texas.
For his long tenure being involved in music in the Tuscaloosa area, Ron was honored with a Druid Arts Award in 2015. This award is presented every two years by the Druid City Arts Council.
In his spare time, Ron taught 6th grade at Faucett-Vestavia Elementary School in Northport for 24 years and became principal from 1999-2004. After retiring from FVES, he went on to teach 6th grade math and science at American Christian Academy for 11 more years, retiring again in 2015. He still volunteers each week to accompany the ACA choir.
Ron has been married to his beautiful wife, Brenda for 35 years. Brenda just recently retired after 42 years with the University of Alabama and she sings lead in the Tune Town Show Chorus, a Sweet Adeline chorus in Nashville, TN.
