Jools Holland

Jools Holland OBE DL was born Julian Miles Holland on 24th January 1958 in Blackheath, South East London.

At the age of eight, he could play the piano fluently by ear, and by the time he reached his early teens he was proficient and confident enough to be appearing regularly in many of the pubs in South East London and the East End Docks.

At the age of 15, Jools was introduced to Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford he joined Squeeze, followed by Gilson Lavis shortly afterwards (Gilson had already played with, among others, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, and Max Wall) – who was Jools’ drummer until he retired in 2024. Up The Junction and Cool For Cats gave Squeeze meteoric success and their popularity rapidly extended to America, where their tour included performances at New York's Madison Square Garden.

In 1987, Jools formed The Jools Holland Big Band – comprising himself and now retired drummer Gilson Lavis. This has gradually metamorphosed into the current 19-piece Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, which consists of pianist, organist, drummer, three female vocals, guitar, bass guitar, two tenor saxophones, two alto saxophones, baritone saxophone, three trumpets, and three trombones. They have been touring annually for over 3 decades.

As well as formidable live performances, Jools, with his Rhythm& Blues Orchestra, has maintained a prolific recording career since signing to Warner Music in 1996, which includes the multimillion-selling Jools Holland and Friends series. Notable 'friends' have included Sting, Chrissie Hynde, George Harrison, Norah Jones, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Bono, Joe Strummer, KT Tunstall, Robert Plant, Smokey Robinson, Kylie, Marc Almond, Ringo Starr, Peter Gabriel, Solomon Burke, and many more. Albums with Tom Jones, Marc Almond, José Feliciano, Ruby Turner, and collaborative works such as Golden Age Of Song and Sirens Of Song, followed in these successful footsteps. In 2023 Jools celebrated the number 1 album Swing Fever, a collaboration with Sir Rod Stewart.

Jools' career as a television presenter has run parallel to his musical career. He started in the early 1980s when he interviewed The Police for a documentary that was made while they were recording at George Martin's Montserrat studio. Jools then auditioned to become co-presenter (with Paula Yates) of The Tube, which achieved cult status and discovered a whole new generation of musicians and comedians between 1981 and 1986. Jools also managed to secure a rare interview with Miles Davis, which was broadcast on 14th November 1986. In two subsequent documentaries – Walking to New Orleans in 1985 and Mr Roadrunner in 1991 – Jools unearthed some of the roots of American music, which led him to talk to (and play with) many of his heroes, including Fats Domino, Dr. John, and Lee Dorsey.

Between 1988 and 1990, Jools performed in and co-hosted (with David Sanborn) two seasons of an acclaimed music performance programme, Night Music, on NBC. After presenting two series of Juke Box Jury in 1989 and then 26 shows of The Happening in 1990, Jools was asked in 1992 to host a new music programme for BBC2, which combined his talent and experience as a musician with his skills as a TV presenter. This was Later... with Jools Holland. The show has reawakened the innovative spirit of The Tube and will soon be embarking on its 69th series, whilst Jools’ Annual Hootenanny will celebrate its 33rd year.

One of Jools' personal highlights was the Sony Radio Academy Silver Award for 'Best Specialist Music Programme' presented in 2010 to his highly-acclaimed and eclectic BBC Radio 2 Show, which ran for 20 years and gained Jools a further prestigious accolade: the Sony Radio Academy Gold award for 'Music Broadcaster Of The Year' in 2012.

In April 2024 he launched a new collaborative broadcasting venture with BBC Radio 3: his new programme Earlier with…Jools Holland, where he shares his love and knowledge of classical music. The show has been running on Saturdays at noon since.

Jools is back out on the road with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra for the rest of 2026, taking their exuberant live shows of blues music, swing music, boogie woogie and ska, packed with musical virtuosity and joyful spontaneity, across the UK and Europe.

Joining Jools and the Orchestra will be one of the UK’s most celebrated soul voices, Roachford. Since his breakthrough hit "Cuddly Toy" topped the UK charts in 1988, Roachford has released 10 studio albums, been sought after as a songwriter by Michael Jackson, Joss Stone and Chaka Khan, and built a reputation as an outstanding live performer. Jools is so excited to have Andrew Roachford with him on this tour.

Awarded an MBE for Services to Music, Roachford continues to perform at the very top of his game. His recent releases, including Twice in a Lifetime and Then & Now, have been met with widespread acclaim, and his live shows are celebrated for their warmth, soul and emotional connection. Joining forces with Jools on tour promises a thrilling meeting of musical minds, rich in groove, passion and timeless songwriting.

Fans will be thrilled to hear that the shows will once again feature the incredible Ruby Turner, the Boogie Woogie Queen, as well as the outstanding vocals of Louise Marshall, and Sumudu Jayatilaka. Together with the skilful musicianship of the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Jools Holland will be performing songs from throughout his career. With a catalogue of classics to choose from, the tour promises another unforgettable run of shows.