Ronald G. Hodgden

Ron Hodgden (Ron West), 75, passed away on May 2, 2020 peacefully at his home after bravely enduring a progressive disease. Ron is known for his success as the singer, songwriter and touring musician with his rock ‘n’ roll group, Missouri, and for the band’s most famous song, Movin’ On which still receives airplay over 40 years later. One month after the release of Missouri's first album in 1977, it was listed on “Billboard's Recommended Album” page. Yet Kansas City locals will recall his early music career with The Chesmann Square, when he and his brothers, Gary and Stephen, performed almost exclusively Beatles music for thousands of teenagers across the Midwest in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2005, The Chesmann was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame as its first inaugural class of honorees along with Big Joe Turner, Kansas, Mike Finnigan, Brewer & Shipley, the Blue Things, the Fabulous Flippers, Rodney & the Blazers and the Red Dogs.

Truly a Kansas City native, Ron was born in Alliance, Neb., on Dec. 4, 1944, near the air force base where his father served in the military. His parents returned “home” to live in Kansas City at the completion of World War II. Ron grew up in Kansas City, graduating from Center Senior High School in the early 1960s. His first musical influences were Elvis Presley, Rickie Nelson and Chuck Berry, among others. The popularity of sock hops, high school dances and music festivals had created a demand for performing musical groups. He quickly became a part of a growing music scene in Kansas City. At 17, he began playing guitar with The Vibratones; two years later, he joined The Premiers as lead singer. In 1964, Ron enlisted his brothers to perform with him. Along with Dave Huffines, and later Jim McAllister, the three brothers formed the group, The Chesmann Square. The Chesmann's main claim to fame was that they looked, acted, sang and played like the Beatles and performed all the new English Invasion music as soon as it hit the airways. Through the sixties the band’s repertoire would change, keeping up with new trends in music: Hendrix, Clapton, the Stones, soul music, etc. Many from the Kansas City area will remember those times nostalgically. But it is Ron’s song, Movin' On, a traveling man’s anthem, that he is most famous for. The song is a music-poem recalling the ten years that he spent traveling on the road with his brothers and performing as The Chesmann almost every weekend. In 2001, Ron created a web site, www.missouriband.com, that provides fans access to photos and music downloads of songs he performed with Missouri and The Chesmann.

Ron is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Dayna Hodgden, his two daughters and son in-laws, Christina White (Phil Antkowicz) and Jennifer Garbe (Clay Garbe), his 5 grandchildren, Natalie White, Adrian Marsh, Reed White, Adam Marsh, Ella Hodgden and 2 step-granddaughters, Grace Garbe and Gretchen Garbe. Ron is also survived by his siblings and sister in-laws, Stephen & Wendy Hodgden, Gary & Becky Hodgden and Patricia McAllister. He is preceded in death by his parents, Glen and DeLouris Hodgden.

Dayna wishes to give special recognition to his caregiver and family friend, Becka Guffey and caregiver Shawnta McClinton for their love and support. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Midwest Music Foundation (http://www.midwestmusicfoundation.org) or CurePSP (http://www.psp.org).

Graveside services will be by invitation only, but it will be streamed live on Facebook 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at https://www.facebook.com/Mcgilley-State-Line-Chapel-116568315070671