Finding Her Voice, and Helping Others Discover Theirs

From touring with The Righteous Brothers to mentoring young dreamers in Las Vegas, Ronnie’s lifelong love of music continues to shape voices and souls across generations.

The first thing you notice about Ronnie isn’t her size; at just five feet one, she could easily disappear behind a mic stand. It’s her voice. Rich, commanding, and full of stories, it carries the weight of a thousand songs and the laughter of someone who’s lived every note. Sitting in her art-filled Las Vegas studio, Ronnie gestures toward a stone sculpture she carved herself and smiles. “I just love creating, whether it’s music or art. It’s all expression, it’s all life.”

For more than five decades, Ronnie, born Veronica but known to everyone by her stage name, has been a fixture in the entertainment world. She’s sung backup for legends, performed under the lights of the Strip, and taught countless students how to find the power in their own voices. Her business, LasVegasVocalLessons.com, isn’t just a music studio. It’s a reflection of a life devoted to artistry, resilience, and the belief that everyone has something beautiful to say if they just learn how to let it out.

From Teen Talent to Vietnam Performer

Ronnie’s story begins in Glendora, California, but destiny clearly had bigger stages in mind. “A friend of mine came over, he was the drummer for The Safaris,” she recalls, eyes lighting up at the memory. “He said, ‘We’re going to Vietnam on tour and we’d like you to come with us.’ I was sixteen.”

Her parents were less than thrilled, but eventually, they agreed. The band’s promise to look after her sealed the deal. “So we got on the airplane,” she says with a laugh, “and that was the last I saw of my parents until we landed.”

The trip took her halfway across the world. She toured with The Safaris, best known for their surf-rock hit Wipe Out, as part of the Bob Hope USO circuit, performing for soldiers in the middle of the Vietnam War. “We were there for the Tet Offensive in 1968,” she says quietly. “It was pretty scary.”

When she returned home, the contrast was jarring. After hotels, stages, and applause, the fluorescent-lit hallways of high school felt small. “That was really fun,” she says with a smirk. “I had to go back to high school after seeing the world.” Unsurprisingly, it didn’t last long. She joined another tour to Vietnam, then briefly worked as an overseas telephone operator before finally coming home for good. “That was the beginning,” she says. “And from there, everything just bloomed.”

A Life Built on Stage Lights and Grit

Ronnie quickly made a name for herself in the Southern California music scene. “I used to go to the Troubadour in Hollywood all the time,” she says. “I didn’t really choose this life; it chose me.”

She met her first husband, a drummer, and together they moved to Las Vegas to perform with The Righteous Brothers. “We were with them for about six years, on and off,” she says. “We also had our own bands and played the Sahara and Pinups 2001 for two years.” Later, Ronnie joined Legends in Concert, where she portrayed vocal powerhouses like Ethel Merman and Judy Garland for two decades.

“I’m only five foot one,” she laughs, “but I’ve got a big voice.”

That voice carried her through a world where women in show business often had to fight for respect. “Back then, there wasn’t a lot of guidance,” she says. “You just got up there, and if you were good, great. If you weren’t, they kicked you out.” She pauses, reflecting. “I was lucky. I had a strong voice and a lot of nerve.”

She credits her time in Vietnam for giving her grit. “I get along really well with the guys,” she says with a grin. “I was always one of them. Plus, my husband was six foot seven, so nobody messed with me.”

Teaching the Next Generation of Voices

In the early 1990s, Ronnie began teaching. Her mentor was none other than Seth Riggs, the world-renowned vocal coach behind stars like Michael Jackson and the members of Earth, Wind & Fire. “I studied with Seth for ten years,” she says proudly. “I teach his method; mostly it’s what I know best.”

Over the decades, she’s helped students achieve incredible things. “I’ve had two winners from America’s Got Talent,” she shares. Her students range from complete beginners to professionals fine-tuning their craft.

But what sets Ronnie apart isn’t just her credentials; it’s her heart. “I teach with love,” she says simply. “I don’t teach with, ‘You better learn this.’ Everybody’s different, and everyone has their own way of learning. You have to find out what that is from the start. You’ve got to be a pretty good judge of character.”

It’s that compassion and intuition that draw people to her. Many of her students are children and teens who find in Ronnie not just a teacher, but a mentor. “I work really well with kids,” she says warmly. “They seem to like me, and I love watching them grow.”

Adapting to a Changing Industry

When Ronnie first started LasVegasVocalLessons.com, she was one of only seventeen vocal coaches in the city. “Now there are hundreds,” she says. “The big companies have huge advertising budgets, so they get most of the students. For me, it’s always been word of mouth.”

That old-school authenticity has kept her business steady even as the industry shifted. The rise of social media, online lessons, and talent shows changed the landscape, but Ronnie remains unfazed. “The business is totally different today,” she says. “But for me, it’s always been about the connection the person in front of me, the song they’re singing, and how it makes them feel.”

Her students don’t just learn scales and breathing techniques. They learn confidence. They learn discipline. They learn how to tell a story through a song.

Beyond the Microphone

These days, Ronnie’s life is full of creativity. When she’s not coaching voices, she’s sculpting. Her studio is filled with her artwork: intricate stone carvings and delicate bronze pieces that reflect her attention to detail and patience. She lifts one piece to the camera, a soft gray sculpture titled Moon Shadow. “I do a lot of different kinds of things,” she says. “I’d really like to start doing more artwork again. I love teaching, but I also love creating.”

Even as she branches out artistically, Ronnie’s connection to her students keeps her energized. She collaborates with a local speech pathologist, Barbara Schwartz, to help clients improve their diction and clarity. “I help people learn how to speak better, how to enunciate,” she explains. “It’s not just about singing. It’s about communication.”

That balance between teaching, performing, and creating is what makes Ronnie’s world so rich. “I’m happy where I am right now,” she says, smiling. “I’ve got time for everything I love.”

Why Las Vegas Loves Ronnie

In a city known for glitz and spectacle, Ronnie represents something rare: genuine artistry grounded in warmth and humility. Her students speak of her patience, her humor, and her unwavering belief in their potential. Parents appreciate her ability to nurture confidence in young performers, while professionals trust her for her decades of experience and technical mastery.

Her impact runs deeper than notes on a scale. She’s helped people rediscover joy after hardship, find strength in vulnerability, and turn nervous voices into proud ones. For many, her lessons go beyond music; they become life lessons.

“I’ve been lucky,” she says softly. “I’ve worked with incredible people, traveled the world, and made a living doing what I love. And now I get to help others do the same. What could be better than that?”

A Legacy in Every Note

As the sun sets over Las Vegas, Ronnie tidies her studio, adjusting the mic stand for tomorrow’s lesson. The walls seem to hum with memories, songs sung, laughter shared, the echo of applause from stages long past.

After more than fifty years in show business, she could easily rest on her laurels. Instead, she continues to share her gift with anyone brave enough to chase a dream. Her voice may have once filled concert halls, but today it fills hearts—and that might just be her most lasting performance yet.

To learn more or book a lesson, visit LasVegasVocalLessons.com or check out Ronnie’s performances on YouTube at Ronnie Fabre.

This feature is part of The Business View Journal’s Local Spotlight Series — your trusted source for discovering the best small businesses in your community.