At 14, with a smooth complexion, angled chin, perfectly pursed lips and a cool rebelliousness, Chris Ramey strongly resembled the smoldering James Dean.

But unlike the famed Hollywood loner, Ramey was a man destined to be the life of the party. He was a man of considerable vocal and guitar talents but also one to take the lifestyle of a musician seriously, moving fast and living hard, setting his own course in life at all times.

To the surprise of family and friends, his raucous lifestyle caught up with him on April 18. He died when he was unable to fend off a high fever and subsequent internal bleeding. He was 54 years old.

Born July 28, 1948, in Annapolis, Md., Ramey moved with his family to Los Altos when he was a child. Ramey was a Los Gatos regular, despite growing up in Los Altos and attending a variety of high schools, including Saratoga and Campbell. Los Gatos is where he played his music and made his home, and it will now be the location for several memorial celebrations in his honor.

Born into a wealthy family, Ramey was never one for a quiet, business-oriented life. At 14, the self-taught musician started sneaking out of the house to play folk and blues at local coffee shops. Soon after, he struck out on his own, moving to San Francisco and migrating around, all the while modeling, making music and meeting musicians who would soon be part of bands like the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane.

Ramey reunited with his family roughly a year later, accompanying them in a move to Japan, where he garnered a great deal of fame. Upon his return to the United States, Ramey started hanging out with the infamous Merry Pranksters. It was a time of drug-fueled exploration and creativity, further driving Ramey into the whirl and twirl of the music world. His participation was even immortalized in the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe, where he appeared in the character of the Telepathic Kid. After his rides with the Pranksters, Ramey returned to Los Gatos to play in several influential folk-rock bands.

At age 19, Ramey fathered his only child, Chris Ramey Jr., with longtime partner Trudi Von Ahnon of Los Gatos.

Although Ramey was not an ideal father figure, Chris holds no ill will. "No one ever really thought he would be much of father, because he was always playing music when he was younger. I know he loved me dearly, but he was just a kid himself," he says.

Throughout the late '70s, Ramey became a high-profile regular in Los Gatos, frequently playing at downtown venues. He played every Sunday night at Mountain Charley's for years on end.

"Everybody was there," Chris says. "And they weren't just there to eat. You couldn't eat when he played; you had to listen to the music. The resonance of his voice would just stop you from doing whatever you were doing. There was a richness to it; you heard the words of the song, but you could tell the person singing it lived those words."

In the mid-1980s, after years of performing and partying, Ramey eventually wore out his voice. So he took the most logical step for those with infectious personalities and genuine charm—he became a car salesman.

It was while working for Larry Hopkins Honda in Sunnyvale that he met accountant Martha Cohen, who would become his partner for the next 18 years.

Cohen says she was in love with him at first glance.

"He was probably the love of my life. He had the biggest heart in the whole world," she says. "He was my best friend."

Cohen greatly admired his ability to be easygoing. "I think he was what all of us would like to be," Cohen says. "Most of us stress out and worry about our job and how to pay our bills, but Chris just said, 'Whatever' and moved on to the next thing. I think that was the most alluring thing about him. He had an incredible sense of freedom."

Around 1998, after nearly 10 years out of the music scene, Ramey decided to get back into the swing of things. He met Jimmy Dewrance and the two hit it off immediately, playing throughout the Bay Area, including downtown Los Gatos, Monterey and San Francisco. They put out an album, called Something Borrowed Something Blue, which was distributed by Kinkajou Records.

Ramey also became heavily invested in the guitar business. With some inheritance money from his father's death, he started buying and selling guitars, eventually amassing a collection of 100 extremely valuable pieces, including vintage Gibsons, Nationals and Epiphones. He also created his own finger slide company, using the tops of wine bottles gathered from Los Gatos establishments, which he custom cut and sold over the Internet.

"He was young—54 is not very old. But he lived his life so much, so full—there were not enough hours in the day to do what he wanted to do," says his son. "In his 54 years, he lived more than most 100-year-olds. It makes me happy. It doesn't make me feel like he left something on the table."

To toast the life of the energetic entertainer and savvy businessman, an Irish wake is planned for May 4 at 3 p.m. at Carry Nation's in downtown Los Gatos. Plans are still in the works for a large festival to be held in June. Updates on planned events can be found at Ramey's old finger slide and guitar website, www.wininboy.com.

Chris is looking forward to the wake, which he hopes will be a fun celebration. "Sadness and my dad don't go together. It just doesn't fit," he says. "He accomplished so much and definitely had a son that loved him and friends that loved him to death. If there is a heaven, I know he's there playing great music with great people."

Survivors include son Chris Ramey Jr., sisters Charlotte O'Connor of Los Angeles and Suzy Legault of Washington, D.C., and two grandchildren. Donations can be made toward a trust fund for Ramey's grandchildren. To donate, visit the website or email Chris Ramey Jr. at chrisramey@dirito.com for details.