Delores Rhoads, mother of the late guitar phenom Randy Rhoads and owner of Musonia School of Music in North Hollywood, California turns 90 this month on March 30.
TMD has learned that she has been battling a serious bout of bronchitis but is reportedly in ‘good spirits’.
Randy’s mom is officially ‘retired’ from teaching these days and is adjusting to the change.
In 2006, She has added $20,000 to the scholarship endowment she established more than 10 years ago at Cal State Northridge as a tribute to her son.
The endowment, now worth in excess of $45,000, supports scholarships for talented guitar students with financial need. The Randy Rhoads Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually by CSUN’s Department of Music.
“The Randy Rhoads endowment has provided scholarship funds to more than 30 students. Many of these students have been able to continue their education, some even pursuing a master’s degree in performance,” notes music professor Ron Purcell.
“As a music teacher for more than half a century, Delores Rhoads attends the auditions and overhears the performances,” Purcell adds. “Both talent and financial need are the two criteria she and the guitar faculty use in making their final selections. The students are awed by her presence and are inspired to do their best. The endowment continues to grow, as does her legacy.”
TMD salutes one of the most unsung people in music! Dee, you truly inspire us all.
Bronchitis can be so devastating to someone at that age. I wish her the best. For more information on bronchitis, this is a great site that I found: http://www.itriagehealth.com/disease/bronchitis-(bronchial-tube-infection)
Delores is a wonderful and kind person, I knew randy and lived just two blocks away from the rhoads family home in burbank, ca. for years. In the early 70’s i think delores had a wholesale lic. and she pick out from a dist. in LA my first two guitars a d35 and a d12-35 martin it saved me a lot of money i was around 23 and randy i think was about17/18 those where hot times good times fun times, randy is sorely missed after 30 some years Delores may not even remember me but none the less good luck with your bronchitis, and good health. i dont recall the music school in N. Hollywood being called Musoina for some reason i thought it was called vally allied arts ???? can anyone help me with that.. peace to all………….larry boldwyn
Mrs. Rhoads, you were my flute teacher at Musonia sometime in the mid-80’s. I was in my late 40’s then, and there is nothing special about me or my music, that you would remember me. However, my memories of Musonia are some of my finest. It was a good time. I am so happy to read about you. Sincerely Tracy Watters
Best wishes to Delores and her family, I was 13 in 1982. still remember the first
time i heard randy on the radio, it stopped me in my tracks. at that point i began
to take my guitar very seriously. it’s hard to explain but randy got in your heart even without knowing him. hope to meet him in the after life. im sure there will be a very long line. god bless…..
I just wanna start off by saying thankyou Delores for giving us the greatest guitar player in the world if it were’nt for you having this angel I would never have discovered classical let alone guitar !
He has also inspired me to right and produce my own albums I have released 4 albums so far .
In the past 4 years I had a hand injury and had to put the guitar down for 4 years and have had to work on getting back to were i left my music .
Its been a hard road but when i listen to Randy he inspires me to pick up and keep on trying .
Just wanna say happy 90th birthday and hope you have a speedy recovery and thankyou for giving birth to the greatest musician i think the world will ever hear !
STAY COOL
STAY TRUE
STAY METAL
Peace Out
\m/
Monika Dee
Mrs. Rhoads still has a very sharp mind. To those who thinks she doesn’t remember you…she does. Believe me. She’s a little worn out from living a lifetime, but her mind and her memory is still sharp as a tack.
Liz
To Dee,
Thank you for your music teachings over the last half century. What you have done Delores by teaching your son and millions of others through out the years, has givin the younger generation greater thought and meditation in all that is to do with music. God Bless all your souls of Rhoads family. Amen
Dear Mrs.Rhoads.It was about 1983 or so when a few friends of mine ditched school (tenth grade) to come up to Musonia and hopefully meet you and ask questions about Randy.We had gotten the address from a magazine with a picture of the front of the school in it.We were from Downey so it didn’t take very long to get there,about a half hour or so.When we arrived out front we couldnt believe we were actually at the place where Randy Rhoads taught.Not to mention we might get in and actually meet his mom.I was very nervous to come to the door.I wasn’t sure how we would be received being that it was so soon after his death.Well you came to the door and let all three of us in and sat us down.I think you were in the middle of a piano lesson or something cause you asked if we could wait till you were finished and then you’d talk with us.We were very excited at this point.After the lesson was over you came and talked with us,bringing out a couple of music stands and a few stacks of pictures.You even took us to the room where he taught.As a souvenir you gave me one of his guitar lessons business cards (the white one with the RR logo on it)which i still have to this day.We all left that day with a lifelong Randy Rhoads experience and I just wanted to say thank you for that….
I want to wish Dee all the best, she is a great person and I am sure that’s where Randy got it from. RR was my idol growing up thru high school, I even had a custom-made black and white polka dot Flying V made, exactly like his. I was 15 when he passed. I was devastated, he was truly my hero. I sent flowers to Dee expressing my grief, and best wishes to her. She sent a heartfelt and genuine thank-you note – even though at the time I am sure she was overwhelmed with the situation, and many other similar well-wishers.
I’ve never been fortunate to have met her in person, but fell like I know her from all that has been told about her as a person, and of course from all I’ve read about RR. I often wonder what he’d have achieved by now if he were still with us; it’s mind-blowing.
I wish you many more years of happiness and health, Delores Rhoads, and thank you and Randy for the joy you have brought into the world.
One aside – isn’t Randy’s last name misspelled on that plaque?
I was sad to hear about you. Dear Miss. Rhoads:
Randy died when I was in Grade 9 {I still have the newspaper}.
You let me vist your school Saturday March 17,1989. I came from Vancouver,Canada. I didn’t talk much, or take too many pictures. I was so nervous, I wish I would’ve asked you more about yourself. I am a single mother of 2 now, as you were of 3… I haven’t played guitar in 10 years, just started and my kids now know who Randy is and about you too! I must write to you and send you some photos. Bless you and your family…
P.S. All Rhoads fans are great!