Ron Holloway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ron Holloway
Tenor saxophonist Ron Holloway during a tour of Russia
Background information
Birth name	Ronald Edward Holloway
Born	(1953-08-24) August 24, 1953 (age 71) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Genres	Jazz, R&B, blues, funk, rock
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Tenor saxophone
Years active	1966–present
Labels	Fantasy/Milestone
Associated acts	Warren Haynes, Susan Tedeschi, Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Scott-Heron, Root Boy Slim

Ronald Edward Holloway (born August 24, 1953) is an American tenor saxophonist. He is a very talented musician who plays the saxophone. A famous jazz critic, Ira Gitler, once described Ron as a "hard-bopper" who could play many styles of music, from R&B to beautiful ballads.

Ron Holloway has won many awards. He has received 42 Washington Area Music Awards, also known as Wammies. He even won "Musician of the Year" twice!

He has played with many famous musicians and bands. These include the Warren Haynes Band, Susan Tedeschi, Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Scott-Heron, and Root Boy Slim. Since 2014, Ron Holloway has led his own group, called The Ron Holloway Band.

Ron Holloway's Musical Journey

Early Life and Musical Inspiration

Ron Holloway was born to Winston and Marjorie Holloway. His parents loved jazz music and had many albums. They created a home full of music for Ron. Even though they weren't musicians themselves, they encouraged Ron's love for music. Ron's father especially liked saxophone and trumpet music.

At first, Ron enjoyed the R&B sounds of Willis Gator Jackson. But soon, he found his main inspirations in the music of Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis.

After finishing high school, Ron practiced his saxophone for many hours every day. He also played with different bands in "jam sessions." These are informal musical gatherings where musicians play together. This helped him become good at many types of music. In one week, he might play jazz, R&B, funk, rock, blues, country, and folk music.

In the 1970s, the music scene in Washington D.C. was very active. Ron joined popular R&B groups like the Sounds of Shea and Mad Dog and the Lowlifers.

Playing with Music Legends

In 1974, Ron went to a concert by Freddie Hubbard, a famous trumpet player. Ron had recorded himself practicing along to one of Hubbard's songs. During a break, he showed the tape to Freddie Hubbard. After hearing it, Hubbard invited Ron to play with him that Sunday. Ron did, and after that, Hubbard always welcomed him to play whenever he was in town.

The next year, Sonny Rollins, another saxophone legend, held a music workshop. Rollins invited young horn players to join him on stage. Ron played with him and received a standing ovation from the audience. Ron and Rollins became good friends and stayed in touch. Rollins has often praised Ron as one of his favorite young saxophone players.

Ron admired Rollins's unique way of playing. He loved Rollins's "sense of organic construction," his "humorous quotes," and his "infectious personality."

In 1977, Ron met Dizzy Gillespie, a famous jazz trumpeter. Ron showed Gillespie a tape of himself playing with Sonny Rollins. Gillespie then asked Ron to play with him. Ron ended up performing with Gillespie all week! After that, he had an open invitation to play with Gillespie's band anytime.

Ron continued to play with Dizzy Gillespie into the 1980s. In 1987, he performed with many musicians to honor Gillespie at a special event.

Joining Different Bands

In the late 1970s, Ron played with a band led by Root Boy Slim. They even appeared in a film. Ron recorded several albums and singles with Root Boy Slim's band.

Ron also played with a local funk band called Osiris. This band was inspired by groups like Parliament-Funkadelic and Earth, Wind, and Fire. Ron played tenor and soprano saxophones with Osiris from 1979 to 1981.

In 1981, Ron met Gil Scott-Heron, a singer and spoken word artist. Scott-Heron invited Ron to join his group, the "Amnesia Express." Ron played his first concert with them in New York City in 1982. Critics liked his playing. Ron even appeared in a film about Scott-Heron's concert called Black Wax. Ron felt his playing grew a lot while he was with this band. He was a member of Scott-Heron's group from 1982 to 1989.

Even while playing with Gil Scott-Heron, Ron continued to perform with Dizzy Gillespie. In 1989, Gillespie asked Ron to join his band full-time. Ron accepted and traveled the world with Gillespie. They played for huge audiences and appeared on popular American TV shows. Ron recorded two albums with Gillespie. He was a member of Gillespie's band from 1989 until Gillespie passed away in 1993.

Solo Music and The Ron Holloway Band

After Dizzy Gillespie's passing, Ron recorded his own music. He sent a demo to Sonny Rollins, who then shared it with Fantasy Records. Ron was signed to Milestone Records, a part of Fantasy, very quickly. So far, Ron has released four albums on Milestone Records and one on the Jazzmont label.

In 2015, Ron Holloway started his own group, The Ron Holloway Band. This band plays funk and jam music, focusing on Ron's saxophone playing and multiple female vocalists. The band first played at the Mad Tea Party in West Virginia in 2014. They also performed at The Peach Music Festival in Pennsylvania, where Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks joined them on stage. Many other famous musicians have also played with The Ron Holloway Band.

Members of The Ron Holloway Band have included Jenny Langer (vocals), Rodney Dunton (drums), Christopher Brown (bass), Rachel Ann Morgan (vocals), Justin Gillen (guitar), Cory Belcher, Cody Wright, Wes Lanich (keys), Rod Gross (drums), Amanda Lynne (vocals), Barry Sherrard (drums), Noah Pierre (bass), Joe Poppen (guitar), and Barry Hart (drums).

Ron Holloway's Collaborations (2000-2019)

Holloway playing with Gov't Mule, at The Grand in Wilmington, DE, 2008

Ron Holloway met Derek Trucks in 2002. Ron has played with Trucks many times as a guest with The Derek Trucks Band and The Allman Brothers Band. He also toured with the Susan Tedeschi Band and the band co-led by Trucks and Tedeschi, called "Soul Stew Revival."

In 2004, Ron played with the Allman Brothers Band at a concert. Warren Haynes, a guitarist from the band, invited Ron to play with them. Ron performed on a classic song called "Southbound." Haynes also invited Ron to play with his band, Gov't Mule, for two nights in Washington, D.C.

In 2005, Ron toured with The Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule. He played at famous venues like the Beacon Theatre in New York City and the Wanee Festival in Florida. He also played at The Warren Haynes Christmas Jam, an annual event hosted by Warren Haynes.

In 2010, Ron joined Gov't Mule for their "Gov't Mule Island Exodus" event in Jamaica. He played tenor saxophone alongside other guest musicians.

Playing with Susan Tedeschi

Holloway in 2007 With
Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi's Soul Stew Revival

In 2005, Ron heard Susan Tedeschi, a blues and soul singer, perform with her band. They had met before at a festival. After playing together that night, Tedeschi invited Ron to join her band. For the next four years, Ron toured with Tedeschi's band across Europe and the United States. They played at major festivals, concert halls, and clubs. They also appeared on TV shows like Late Night with Conan O'Brien and performed live on many radio stations.

Playing with Warren Haynes

In 2009, Warren Haynes started working on a solo music project. Ron Holloway played tenor saxophone on this recording. The album, called Man in Motion, was released in 2011.

The Warren Haynes Band first performed at the 22nd Annual The Warren Haynes Christmas Jam in 2010. Ron Holloway was part of this group. After the album was released, Ron toured extensively with Warren Haynes and his band.

Playing with Devon Allman

Ron Holloway met Devon Allman, the son of Gregg Allman, in 2009. Devon Allman later asked Ron to play saxophone on his band Honeytribe's second album. Ron traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, and recorded with the band for their album, Space Age Blues. The CD was released in 2010 and received good reviews.

Recent Performances

In the summer of 2023, Ron Holloway played with Gov't Mule during their Dark Side of the Mule tour.

Ron Holloway's Music Albums

As a Band Leader

With Dizzy Gillespie