Folk Alliance member Ron Stockfleth, the founder and operator of southern California’s Acoustic Music Series, died Sunday, November 25, after a long struggle with kidney cancer.

Ron Stockfleth was a contractor by trade, but was changed after seeing Townes Van Zandt perform at McCabes in Santa Monica. He was amazed at the communication and power a great performer could share with an audience, and decided that he would bring shows of that caliber to the Pasadena area.

Starting out knowing absolutely nothing about promotion or the music industry but learning along the way, he presented concerts that included singer/songwriters (Iris DeMent, Greg Brown, Tom Paxton, Cheryl Wheeler), Celtic artists (Skydance, Cherish the Ladies, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, Sharon Shannon), bluegrass (Allison Krauss, Mark O'Connor, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan & Tony Rice), Americana (Dave Alvin, Tom Russell, BeauSoleil, Chris Smither), and others.

[Obituary courtesy of the Folk Alliance].