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the 80’s, 90’s and up to around 2010) they reformed in 2016 and released all new music including “Ball & Chain”, “Midnight in
Hollywood”, and “It’s a Good Thing God Will Forgive You.” Their 2019 album “2.0” was published on CD with many songs having corresponding videos (available on YouTube). They followed this album up with an EP, Open Your Ears, in 2021.
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The
Monroes first album of all new music was released in 2019 to positive reviews. The band began performing the new material. The song Ball & Chain became the band’s opener at most concerts, with its tongue in cheek lyrics and rhythmic country pop sound. Hart recalls “mostly I play organ and
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Denton owned Guitar Trader in San Diego, California, which closed, after being a long-time pillar of the San Diego music scene, in
December 2014. Jones returned from a long musical hiatus in 2005, and began writing and performing again in the San Diego area. Gilstrap returned to San Diego in 2006 and
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active throughout most of the 1980s, with a resurgence in the 2010s. They are best known for their single "What Do All the People Know." After a hiatus where the members branched out to different projects, (with members Bob Monroe and Dave Hart together performing
Monroes songs and others throughout
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Bob Monroe met keyboardist Dave Hart in the 1980’s and they began performing together with other local musicians. Hart studied at the SDSU Electronic Music Studio while attending college, and was a classically trained pianist before studying synthesis and sampling. He later became a lawyer in San
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shortly thereafter. He would remain there for the next twenty years. Then, in 2006, he returned to
California, where he reconnected with Jones. By 2007, the two were performing live and did not rule out the possibility of a complete Monroes reunion. Ortiz later returned to Minnesota to be closer to
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was abandoning its US market. Without the backing of a label, they were left with no North
American promotion, and the band's single and mini-album quickly fell off the charts. Individual band members gradually quit the group over the next several years. The remaining members would continue until
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In 2016, Bob, Dave, and Ronny Jones (brother of original
Monroes Guitarist Rusty Jones) joined with former States guitarist Barry Scott to reform The Monroes. Later, legendary drummer Bob Sale joined with the band and they began writing and producing new music.
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In 2022, former members Eric Denton, Rusty Jones and Tony Ortiz joined The
Monroes on stage at the Belly-Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA for a performance of some of the band's biggest hits, including Ortiz' rockin' vocals on "Somewhere in the Night."
288:. In addition to his musical talents, by this point, he had also become very savvy on the business and organizational aspects of the music world, an attribute that would serve him well during the Monroes years. Before long, he was playing in the band
428:, featuring an alternate version of "What Do All the People Know?" (including a portion of the final verse extracted from the version featured on the original 1982 EP) as well as previously unreleased material from their early recording sessions.
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On August 28, 2020, a long-awaited "official" music video for "What Do All the People Know?" was released, interpolating the original vision for the video 38 years prior with modern scenes and vintage footage from past
Monroes shows.
306:(a.k.a. "Bob Monroe"), with whom he was especially impressed. Before long the two had joined together, forming the nucleus of what would become The Monroes. Another musician who regularly visited the studio was guitarist
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with his family at a young age, at which point he began immersing himself in piano studies. By the late 1970s, Denton had already performed at several high school dances, when his family moved to
292:. However, after touring with this band for a while, Denton returned to San Diego, where he bought a recording studio with the goal of creating a group that played all original material.
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while their single climbed the charts to #59. However, as the band was pondering ideas for their first music video, they found out that their Japan-based record label
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Announcement of new EP featuring an alternate version of "What Do All the People Know?" as well as previously unreleased material from their early recording sessions.
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359:"What Do All the People Know" generated a local buzz around the San Diego area, and it was selected as the first single released from the group's self-titled
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called "Rick Elias and the
Monroes". In this context, the "Monroes" part of the name was a direct reference to the fact that Elias was originally from
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ULR-18001) features "Yamarock", the b-side of the "What Do All the People Know" single as a sixth track and a different cover from the U.S. edition.)
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According to Ortiz, the band's name, "The Monroes" was derived from a band Bob Davis was originally in with the now well-known singer-songwriter
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The band began recording demos of early tracks at Accusound, and they began shopping them around the Los Angeles area. They soon recruited
326:(a.k.a. "Tony Monroe"), who Denton described as having the ability to "make any song, good or bad, sound great", to fill this capacity.
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In 2021, the band released an EP, Open Your Ears, with the hit song Rosemary’s Daughter, penned by Barry Scott.
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For keyboardist Eric Denton, forming the Monroes fulfilled his early fantasies of becoming a rock star. Born in
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356:. One of their recent songs was called "What Do All the People Know" which was written by Bob Monroe.
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580:(host: Ron "Boogiemonster" Gerber). KFAI-FM: 90.3, Minneapolis; 106.7, St. Paul. November 4, 2011.
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What Do All The People Know – (Complete) – Official Music Video From The Original 'The Monroes'
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piano on the album to keep to our rock roots sound, but we definitely keep the 80’s pop feel!”
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came on board, and the search was then on for a lead singer. The band ultimately decided on
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More Extensive Bio/Eric Denton Update (Sanford, Jay Allen (2007). "Remember the Monroes??")
314:(an all-covers band), and he became the next to join this fledgling group. Denton's former
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studied tribal fusion and Middle Eastern drumming. In 2007, Denton had a son named Kyle.
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Ortiz, Jesus (Tony). "90 Minutes with Tony Ortiz from the Monroes (November 4, 2011)".
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Ortiz left the band in 1986 and, disillusioned with the music business, moved to
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http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/dec/31/guitar-trader-closes-store
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BidOnSound, (Exclusive Music related Online Action)- Eric Denton, Co-founder
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joined the band Street Heart. Bob continued to produce, write and perform.
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561:"Jim McInnes: The Last DJ, Busted at Boomer's, plus the Monroes Story"
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Diego but continued his friendship and performances with Bob Monroe.
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Each of these albums include the song "What Do All the People Know"
348:. Before long, the band was recording what would become their debut
299:), Denton had brushes with other budding musicians, one of whom was
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Rusty Jones update (includes more extensive Monroes information)
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Trageser, Jim. "Former Monroes singer back home, back singing".
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The Monroes Founding Member Website – Eric Denton Keyboardist
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as their manager, who signed them to a small Japanese label,
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his children and has continued performing on his own there.
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Street Heart- "What Do All the People Know" @YouTube.com
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Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 4
363:, completed in 1982. They then toured with the likes of
682:"Living in Oblivion (The 80's Greatest Hit - Volume 3)"
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Living in Oblivion (The 80's Greatest Hits – Volume 3)
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In 2023 Scott and Hart both moved to Las Vegas, NV.
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51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
762:Article about Ortiz and Jones' recent activities
639:Article about Ortiz and Jones' recent activities
471:AAE-15015) – 1982 (U.S. version has five tracks)
310:, who had previously played with Davis in the
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424:In 2013, the band released a seven-song EP,
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420:BoB Davis playing a Monroes concert in 2022
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111:Learn how and when to remove this message
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543:Vol. 4 (Shake Some Action SSA 4) Europe
295:While working in the recording studio (
380:the band eventually broke up in 1988.
802:Musical groups disestablished in 1988
510:A-What Do All The People Know (3:23)
259:are a pop/rock/country pop band from
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475:(The Japanese version of the album (
49:adding citations to reliable sources
671:@YouTube Retrieved October 3, 2020.
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797:American new wave musical groups
152:The Official Band from the 80’s!
60:"The Monroes" American band
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36:needs additional citations for
772:Jonnie Gilstrap's MySpace Page
412:2013–present: New developments
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807:Musical groups from San Diego
484:What Do All the People Know?
426:What Do All the People Know?
388:After the breakup, bassist
160:San Diego, California, U.S.
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629:Guitar Trader Closes Store
492:Open Your Ears (EP) - 2021
792:American pop music groups
767:Rusty Jones' MySpace Page
742:Rusty Jones' YouTube page
617:Retrieved August 4, 2012.
584:Retrieved August 4, 2012.
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747:Tony Ortiz' YouTube page
486:(MusicPower.com) – 2013
184:1982–1988, 2019-present
536:(Rhino R2 71697 ) U.S.
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142:Background information
16:American new wave band
645:. September 26, 2007.
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45:improve this article
752:Tony Ortiz' website
529:(EMI E2-27674) U.S.
282:Ventura, California
643:North County Times
578:Crap from the Past
513:B-Yamarock (3:24)
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324:Jesus "Tony" Ortiz
318:bandmate, drummer
280:, Denton moved to
241:Jesus "Tony" Ortiz
207:Bob "Monroe" Davis
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278:Lansing, Michigan
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62: –
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56:Find sources:
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34:This article
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689:. Retrieved
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598:. Retrieved
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517:Compilations
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504:Alfa Records
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477:Alfa Records
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234:Past members
180:Years active
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101:January 2008
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43:Please help
38:verification
35:
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718:The Monroes
691:February 1,
686:Discogs.com
465:The Monroes
454:Discography
401:Minneapolis
308:Rusty Jones
257:The Monroes
245:Rusty Jones
238:Eric Denton
219:Barry Scott
215:Ronny Jones
127:The Monroes
786:Categories
732:Band Photo
489:2.0 - 2019
384:Post-1980s
331:Rick Elias
272:Background
265:California
223:Bobby Sale
71:newspapers
506:ALF-7119)
502:U.S. 7" (
390:Bob Davis
369:Greg Kihn
304:Bob Davis
297:Accusound
286:San Diego
261:San Diego
211:Dave Hart
173:power pop
722:Allmusic
169:New wave
497:Singles
301:bassist
203:Members
85:scholar
459:Albums
371:, and
335:Monroe
189:Labels
165:Genres
157:Origin
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539:2001
532:1994
525:1994
92:JSTOR
78:books
693:2021
602:2024
377:Alfa
365:Toto
193:Alfa
64:news
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569:^
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361:EP
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