Ron Keel

Ron Keel (born March 25, 1961) is a heavy metal vocalist and guitarist for a number of bands from the 1980s to the modern day, including the hard rock band Keel.

Ron Keel
Background information
Birth nameRynia Lee Keel Jr.[1]
Also known asRonnie Lee Keel
Born (1961-03-25) March 25, 1961
Savannah, Georgia
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • drums
  • keyboards
  • keytar
Years active1980-present
Labels
Associated acts
Website

Biography

Ron Keel started his music career with a Tennessee-based band named Lust. He came to Los Angeles with his band Steeler, which later on featured Yngwie Malmsteen, Rik Fox and Mark Edwards. Steeler released one self-titled album in 1983 on Shrapnel Records. Malmsteen was the first to leave Steeler, opting to play with the band Alcatrazz (featuring Graham Bonnet) before achieving success with his own band.

In 1984, he was briefly the lead singer of Black Sabbath. He recorded some demos with the band, but soon parted ways when the band had a falling out with producer Spencer Proffer over creatives differences.[3]

After the demise of Steeler, Keel formed a new band and simply called it Keel. The band secured a record deal with Gold Mountain/A&M Records. From 1984 to 1989, Keel toured the world and sold 2 million records. KISS vocalist/bassist Gene Simmons produced two of Keel's albums: The Right to Rock and The Final Frontier. The band regrouped in 2008 and toured to celebrate their 25th anniversary. They remain active with occasional performances at events like the Monsters Of Rock Cruises and the M3 Festival.[4]

In 1990, Ron Keel formed the band Fair Game, a project Keel fronted with four female backup musicians. Two of the songs recorded by the band were featured on the soundtrack to the movie Bad Channels. Their complete recording sessions finally emerged in 2000 on the Metal Mayhem label billed as Beauty & The Beast.

Ron Keel returned to the heavy metal music scene in 1997, when he collaborated with Japanese guitarist Akihito Kinoshita on Project One, the major label debut album from Kinoshita’s band Saber Tiger.

In 2000, Ron Keel formed IronHorse, which mixed country with southern rock. He left the band in 2007 to focus on other aspects of his career.[5] He also performed as part of a Brooks & Dunn tribute band in the Country Superstars Tribute at the Fitz Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 2008. prior to reforming his band Keel, Ron Keel formed a band named K2. K2 featured himself on vocals and guitar, and performed many of the songs from his earlier career.

In 2014, Keel published his autobiography Even Keel (Wild West Media).[6]

Keel resided in the Las Vegas, Nevada area until 2015, and was active on the Vegas music scene during his time in the city, even portraying Ronnie Dunn in the Country Superstars Tribute live show.

By November 2015, Keel had moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and began working as the midday host on the hard rock radio station KBAD-FM. He also was the front man for the Badlands House Band, at Badlands Pawn, Gold, and Jewelry. Although Keel and KBAD enjoyed excellent market ratings, on September 23, 2017, KBAD ceased operations due to financial and legal issues related to other business ventures that KBAD station owner, Chuck Brennan, was enduring at the time.[7]

In late October, 2017, Ron Keel, along with other former DJ's Crash, The Rev, and Crazy Frank, from the defunct KBAD 94.5 radio station, partnered to form the internet streaming rock radio station, KBACK.ROCKS.[8]Keel’s new band known as the “RONKEELBAND” or, “RKB” is set to release their debut album on February 23, 2019 at Grand Falls Casino/Resort just outside of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Megadeth bassist, Dave Ellefson signed “RKB” to his EMP Record label group in November of 2017. Ellefson himself is originally from Jackson, Minnesota which is just about an hour east of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Keel continues to make Sioux Falls, South Dakota his home where he and his band have a tremendous following and support.

Discography

Steeler

Keel

Fair Game
  • Beauty and the Beast (1991)[9]

IronHorse
  • IronHorse (2001)[10]
  • Bring It On (2004)[11]

Ron Keel Band
  • Fight Like a Band (2019)
  • South X South Dakota (2020)

Solo projects
  • Alone at Last (2006)[12]
  • The Ultimate Collection (2007)[13]
  • The Ultimate Video Collection (DVD, 2007)
  • Lick It Up: A Millennium Tribute to Kiss (2008)[14]
  • Metal Cowboy (2014)[15]
  • Fight Like A Band (2019)
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References
  1. IMDb
  2. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ron-keel-mn0000283893
  3. https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/forgotten_black_sabbath_singer_recalls_attempt_to_turn_band_into_hair_metal_act__weird_thing_malmsteen_told_him_when_they_met_in_early_band.html
  4. Keelband.com - History Archived 2008-12-24 at the Wayback Machine
  5. - IronHorse
  6. "2014 Outsight Radio Hours interview". Archive.org. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  7. "KBAD statement".
  8. KBACK.ROCKS Internet Streaming Rock Radio
  10. CDBaby - IronHorse
  12. CDBaby - Ron Keel: Alone at Last
  13. CDBaby - Ron Keel: The Ultimate Collection
  14. KISS FAQ - Lick It Up: A Millennium Tribute to KISS
  15. "2014 Outsight Radio Hours interview". Archive.org. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
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