Fans of country music and 1960s pop are remembering singer Ronnie Dove, after news of his passing was reported by WMAR News.
Dove launched his career in Baltimore, Maryland, ultimately scoring a string of national top 20 hits during the 1960s.
He passed away at age 91 while in hospice care.
“The love of my life is now at rest,” wrote his wife, Marty, in a heartbreaking Facebook post.
“He passed peacefully this morning with me by his side. There will be no funeral. He will be cremated and in a few months I would like to have a Celebration of Life … For now please know that Ronnie is in a better place.”
A Prolific ’60s Hitmaker
While serving in the U.S. Coast Guard during the 1950s, Dove launched his music career singing in local clubs in the Baltimore area.
That led to a recording contract, and a string of top-20 pop hits that included “One Kiss for Old Time’s Sake,” “Right or Wrong,” “A Little Bit of Heaven,” “When Liking Turns to Loving” and “Cry.”
“Over his career, Dove recorded 23 consecutive regional, national and internationally-charted Top 10 records … He continued performing in the Baltimore area well into his later years. He lived in Pasadena, Maryland,” noted WMAR.
A Television Staple
During Dove’s heyday in the 1960s, he was a frequent presence on television screens.
Among the many shows on which he appeared were “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “American Bandstand,” “Where the Action Is,” “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Merv Griffin Show,” “Nashville Now” and many other local and national TV shows.
Dove also hosted his own TV variety show in 1966, “The Ronnie Dove Show,” which didn’t receive national distribution, but did air on several stations on in various markets throughout the East Coast.
A Shift to Country
In the early 1970s, Dove signed a new deal with Decca Records.
At that point, he abandoned the pop sound of his earlier hits and evolved into a country music artist.
His biggest success in the country milieu was a cover of Bobby Darin’s “Things,” which peaked at No. 25 on the country charts.
During the 1980s, he opened his own club in Baltimore, where he regularly performed for fans.
In 1987, he released an album and two singles, both of which landed on Billboard‘s country charts.
A Career Pause for Personal Reasons
In the late 1980s, Dove stepped back from show business.
“I took a break in 1988 to take care of my mom,” Dove explained in an interview with The Catoctin Banner. “The doctors had given her about three to six months to live, and I wanted to be with her. She lived for three more years, and I did everything for her. After her death in 1991, I slowly got back into singing. It was difficult at first after being away for three years, but eventually, I got some good venues with the help and encouragement of some of my friends in the music business.”
Dove continued performing well into his late 80s; his final live performance took place in May 2023
