Alan Fitzgerald launched his career with a bass, but some of his most beloved work was created after a shift to keyboards.
The musician, often referred to as “Fitz,” turns 77 on July 16. More than five decades ago, he began a career that has stretched from Montrose’s early hard-rock years to Night Ranger’s MTV breakthrough, with additional work alongside Sammy Hagar, Van Halen, and the melodic rock supergroup Alliance.
Fitzgerald joined Montrose in 1974, replacing original bassist Bill Church. He played on the band’s next two albums, Paper Money and Warner Bros. Presents… Montrose!. After leaving the group, he reunited with Hagar as the keyboardist in his solo band.
His change of instruments helped lead Fitzgerald into the most successful era of his career. In 1980, he and guitarist Jeff Watson joined three former Rubicon members in the lineup that became Night Ranger.
Fitzgerald’s synth parts became an important part of the band’s sound, working alongside its two lead guitars. He played throughout Night Ranger’s original hitmaking run, which produced several rock favorites such as “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” and the Top 5 ballad “Sister Christian.”
Fitzgerald left Night Ranger in 1988, then returned for the band’s reunion during the 1990s and recorded two more albums with the group. Beginning in the early ’90s, he also handled live keyboards for Van Halen during the band’s concerts through 2004.
He later became a founding member of Alliance with Gary Pihl, David Lauser and Robert Berry, all of whom arrived with experience in successful rock acts. Pihl recalled that the musicians first gathered at Hagar’s home studio and began sharing their song ideas.
“The four of us met actually in Sammy’s home recording studio and we showed each other all our song ideas,” Pihl told MisplacedStraws.
Fitzgerald appeared on Alliance’s first four albums before retiring from touring. His work also remains an important part of the Night Ranger catalog, which the band is revisiting with a new Best Of collection scheduled for release on Aug. 28.
At 77, Fitzgerald can now look back on a unique and prosperous career, finding major success first on bass and then all over again on keyboards.
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