Ronald Joseph Radke (born on December 15, 1983) is an American musician. He is known for being the former vocalist of the Post-hardcore/Metalcore band Escape the Fate and lead vocalist for the post-hardcore band Falling in Reverse.

onald Joseph Radke was born on December 15th, 1983, in Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Ronnie has claimed to be part Native American. He grew up in a poor family, with his father, older brother, and grandmother. Ronnie's mother beat him as a child and then left him, for unknown reasons.
Ronnie learned to play piano and guitar. At first he started out playing Blink 182 songs on guitar and the first song he could play was "Dammit". He formed several bands while in high school. Radke ran away from home to play in his first band with his friend Mitch called 3.0. which "sounded exactly like Blink 182" according to Radke. He lived with Mitch and his mother for a period of time. The band's logo was made on paint with the Ninja Turtles Logo. They played a few shows at various venues such as Chain Reaction and the Huntridge in Las Vegas. After the band, Radke moved back in with his dad and said that he dropped out of school, re-entered, then dropped out again. He stated in an Alternative Press interview; "I just couldn't for some reason pay attention, I just daydreamed about everything else but what I'm supposed to be doing." Radke stated that the second band was in was called Lefty (with Robert Ortiz). Radke met Max Green (from the band Almost Heroes) at a talent show. Radke's microphone fell and Max picked it up for him while they were on stage and they became friends, forming the band True Story. Ronnie started screaming in the band after being inspired by Thrice. One of their guitarists left and Ronnie didn't feel good enough to play guitar so he started to sing, slowly forming Escape The Fate.
Listen Up! was written by Radke in 1998 at the age of 15 as well as Besides the Issues and The Worst Time. In 2001, Ronnie contacted his friend, producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who recorded the songs Listen Up! , The Worst Time and The Departure, both recorded instrumentation all together, and also composed the themes for As You're Falling Down, Make up and Not Good Enough for Truth in Cliche, which was recorded in 2005, along with Escape The Fate.
Ronnie released Listen Up! (Originally called This Is not The End) on 2 January 2009, on the MySpace page for Falling in Reverse, causing controversy because it was thought that the song sounded like Pop Punk which had angered some fans. In January, 2011, Falling In Reverse clarified the origins of the song, stating that it was written by Ronnie long before Escape the Fate or Falling in Reverse and that the song would not be included on their album or as part of their set list.

In 2008, the Taste of Chaos Tour, Ronnie participated with the band Blessthefall, and made the screams at the end of the song Guys Like You, Make Us Look Bad. Beau Bokan, singer of Blessthefall announced that his album would have Ronnie's participation in a song on the album Awakening. Although the participation of Ronnie did not happen, it was not going to be upcoming.

In high school, Ronnie and Max Green were close friends. In 2004 Bryan Money who was 18 at the time, contacted Max, who referred to him that Ronnie was a good singer. He agreed and began auditions for a drummer. Robert Ortiz, 17 at the time, was selected, and Escape The Fate had begun. A few weeks later, Omar Espinosa the current guitarist at the time for Lovehatehero decided to join as their rhythm guitarist. The band soon began to sound in the scene called post-hardcore in Las Vegas. During that time Carson Allen joined as their keyboardist. The band recorded the demo Escape the Fate EP, with which his music expanded and soon achieved the admiration of many record labels, they signed in early 2006 with Epitaph Records[4].
The recordings started soon, launching in May, the EP There's No Sympathy for the Dead, and recording some songs from their debut album, Dying Is Your Latest Fashion which was released on September 26. Both works were produced by the great friend of Ronnie, Michael "Elvis" Baskette.
During September 12, 2006, Ronnie left the band for a few weeks for unknown reasons, although he rejoined later on. Ronnie Radke was officially expelled in mid-2008. He clarified by the band, was that Ronnie was expelled due to problems with the probation that he possessed since 2007, making his international promotion, as this could not allow him to leave the country. After, the judgment became that Ronnie could not leave the state, this being a major factor in his expulsion. It also contained strong arguments with Max Green and the rest of the band (this is currently still ongoing.). The single Webs We Weave, which was meant to be released in 2008, would have been the third single from the debut album by Escape the Fate, but after the departure of Radke, the single was never released.

In December 2008, Radke alongside Nason Schoeffler formed a band called 'From Behind These Walls', which was renamed as Falling in Reverse. After giving the news of a new band, Radke was sentenced to a stay in jail, leaving in December 2010 and announcing the start of recording with his band releasing numerous demos. They started off by releasing their first single "Raised By Wolves" followed by the the album The Drug In Me Is You which was released on July 26, 2011, through Epitaph Records. Premiering in late June, the video for the song The Drug In Me Is You[14]. On October 17, 2011, was released on video I'm Not A Vampire, the month in which they had to cancel a tour with Black Veil Brides, for an accident suffered singer Andy Biersack but announced another tour for December, and releasing their fourth single "Good Girls Bad Guys" on the 18th of June 2012. Currently the band is on tour with plans to release a new studio album. The current line consists of guitarists Jacky Vincent and Derek Jones, bassist Ron Ficarro, lead vocalist Ronnie Radke, and drummer Ryan Seaman.

In 2006, Radke was involved in an altercation in Las Vegas that resulted in the fatal shooting of 18 year-old Michael Cook. While Radke did not shoot Cook, he was indicted on battery charges. These charges, combined with Radke's past troubles with narcotics and rehab, led to a sentence of five years probation. He failed to report to his parole officer and was arrested in June 2008, where he was sentenced to two years in prison. At the time, Radke was the lead singer of post-hardcore band Escape the Fate, which had released its debut album, Dying Is Your Latest Fashion, in 2006. Following Radke's incarceration, Escape the Fate kicked him out of the band and replaced him with former Blessthefall singer Craig Mabbitt. Max Green, bassist of Escape the Fate, stated about Radke's law problems that, "First we couldn't tour out of the country, then out of the state."

Radke, had been on parole because of his involvement in a fight in 2006 that led to the death of Michael Cook. During the altercation occurred in 2006, Cook died after being shot by Chase Rader, one of Radke's friends. However the charges were dropped after Rader this could argue self-defense. But Radke was sentenced to a period of parole five years in Las Vegas and ordered to pay nearly $ 100,000 in restitution. Because of this Radke should be employed full time and attending a rehabilitation center consiciones that failed to comply. Radke had also failed to report to his probation officer. On January 15, 2007, he was found guilty due to a breach of his parole and his probation was revoked, and he was sentenced to eighteen months in prison. During his prison sentence, Radke was banned access from the music room, so he began mentally composing songs; tapping his knees to drum beats and then humming the guitar and vocal parts. When Radke was released in December of 2010, he got in touch with some friends who kept in contact with him during his sentence and formed Falling In Reverse. Since joining, Radke has had direct contact with fans through Myspace posting blogs about his new life in prison and his personal opinion about what happened with Escape the Fate. In one of his blogs Emphasis is placed on Craig Mabbitt (new vocals of Escape the Fate) referring to it as a false friend on tour and the band is only for convenience them.
In a telephone interview 27:44 minutes hosted on YouTube on October 15 of 2008, Radke speaks of a few known issues and/or hidden Escape The Fate. Radke began the interview talking about how is life in prison and as was found by police in Las Vegas. Then, continue the interview but this time referring to the band:

"... of drugs, but the whole situation made my band against me, although one of them as guilty as I am. And it may seem strange or illogical but, they accused me of something I did not do, and I'm the only one who is paying for it, and the thing is that Max, a friend I have known for over 9 years turned against me, and I even said I did not deserve this, did not deserve to be on probation, did not deserve to be in prison for nothing, it's not fair, and that would be with me no matter what happens, and what happens?, the drug was in me and as soon as you find out that I probably would go to prison for violating my probation, I am expelled from the band. My friends are my life and am grateful that my friend Dan did not go to prison, what people do not realize is that if Max had not been for the fight never happened, I was always there for Max, he is a young boy, well not younger than me but smaller, I was always like his older brother went to rehab and came out clean of drugs, but even if you do not want to say, Max gave me drugs again, I said no and do not blame him, but is difficult when you're on tour with someone like that with which you have grown for over 9 years was locked in the closet to use drugs because of his addiction, he is able to hide it, nobody ever accused him of using drugs."

The interview continues in two segments 9 and 8 minutes Radke remains the same but speaking of Omar Espinosa, former guitarist of the band Craig Mabbitt, who replaced him as lead singer of Escape The Fate. Another interview can be seen on Buzznet when where he explains about his time in jail, what happened in the desert and more. Radke was released from prison on December 12th, 2010.

Ronnie, in 2007, appeared in the reality show LA Ink during the second season as a customer. The tattoo that was shown was a horse being ridden by a frog saying Ahoy Butternuts!; The tattoo is in memory of a joke that usually done on an imaginary horse that died from eating pizza in the trash and his admiration for the rene frog of The Muppet Show (Kermit the Frog).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Radke