Manager, Muse & Magic Maker
Ronnie didn’t stop at booking. Her passion and instinct took her into artist management, and soon she was guiding two of LA’s most electric new bands: Love and The Doors.
She signed them with nothing but a handshake and the kind of fearless conviction that makes legends. Ronnie saw Jim Morrison not just as a singer, but as a lightning rod for a cultural storm—and she wasn’t wrong. These were no A&R reps in corner offices; this was Ronnie, in the trenches, hustling rehearsal space, pushing for gigs, and standing her ground in an industry that barely tolerated women, let alone powerful ones. Her unerring instincts and work ethic along with a dose of New York toughness made her the first ever female manager of rock bands.
Jim Morrison climbing trees in Griffith Park, 1966. Ronnie says that at this time in his career, before The Doors exploded onto the rock and psychedelic scene, Jim really didn’t like to have his picture taken. Photo by Ronnie Haran.
Portrait of Ronnie by Jim Morrison, 1966. Copyright Ronnie Haran.
Articles and photos (below left) by Ronnie in the Royal’s World Countdown, a bimonthly music publication published by Charles Royal from 1966 to 1969. One issue had several of her photos of Love band members. Ronnie became good friends with Arthur Lee, co-founder and lead singer of Love. One of Ronnie’s photographs was chosen for the back cover of Love’s critically acclaimed 1967 album Forever Changes.
Images by Ronnie Haran grace the back of Love’s Forever Changes album. This record is part of Ronnie’s extensive collection of over 1500 albums.
Portrait of Ronnie taken by Donovan with her camera.
The Gentle Soul was a folk band led by Pamela Polland and Rick Stanley. The album Gentle Soul was released in 1968. Photo by the cover by Ronnie Haran.
Chase Mellen and Ronnie Haran Mellen with Ray Manzarek and his wife Dorothy.
Ronnie left the Whisky in the late '60s—but never stopped creating. She remained active in entertainment, consulting for music and film projects, producing, mentoring young talent, writing, and continuing to photograph the world around her. She curated rock shows, dove deep into art and design, and never lost her appetite for reinvention.
Her artistry extended far beyond the stage. She was a connector of people, ideas, and movements. Her life was—and still is—a collage of color, music, and moxie.
Above, Ronnie with Johnny Echols, co-founder, songwriter, and lead guitar player of the psychedelic rock band Love.