Ron Keel

Ron Keel (born March 25, 1961) is a rock & country singer/musician, known for leading and singing for Ron Keel Band, Keel, Steeler, IronHorse, Fair Game, Saber Tiger, The Rat'lers, and as a solo artist, under the name Ronnie Lee Keel. He is also an author, radio show host, and owner/manager of RFK Media LLC.

Ron Keel began his recording career with a Tennessee-based band named Lust. He relocated his next Nashville band Steeler to Los Angeles in 1981 and became a top draw on the Southern California scene. In 1983 Steeler signed with Shrapnel Records and released their self-titled album, 'Steeler' which also featured Yngwie Malmsteen, Rik Fox and Mark Edwards.

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.

Following 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'. Both charted on Billboard's Hot 100, as did their third self-titled major label album, 'Keel', on MCA Records which was produced by Michael Wagener. In 1987, their cover of "Rock N Roll Outlaw" was featured in the movie "Dudes." A sixth album 'Back In Action' (1998) consisted of unreleased demos; the band reunited in 2008 and toured to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

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'.

For most of the 90s Ron Keel, rebranded as Ronnie Lee Keel, toured and recorded as a country music artist, releasing a solo album "'Western Country" in 1995. He returned to Nashville to front The Rat'lers, who released one album 'Thick As Thieves" and toured US military bases throughout Europe. As a country songwriter, Keel's compositions have appeared in dozens of major films and television shows such as X-Files and King Of The Hill.

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. He established himself in Las Vegas as a country tribute artist, creating and starring in Country Superstars Tribute, portraying Ronnie Dunn in the long-running live show at the Fitz Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada as well as a two year run at the Golden Nugget.

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 2012, Keel launched his syndicated radio show Streets Of Rock N Roll on multiple FM/AM/online radio stations worldwide. The show ran for two years until Keel relocated to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to become the midday host on the hard rock radio station KBAD-FM and 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. In 2019 Keel relaunched his syndicated radio show which continues to feature interviews with rock stars and industry insiders on stations worldwide.

In 2014, Keel published his autobiography Even Keel: Life On The Streets Of Rock N Roll (Wild West Media). This coincided with the release of his first rock solo album "Metal Cowboy." With the release of his new “METAL COWBOY” solo album and his autobiography “EVEN KEEL: Life On The Streets Of Rock & Roll,” Ron Keel’s career in the entertainment business is experiencing yet again another climax.

After selling millions of records and touring the world as both a heavy metal screamer (KEEL, Steeler, etc.) and a country music artist (Ronnie Lee Keel, The Rat’lers, Country Superstars Show), Ron has combined both styles with this new release.

“The music sounds just like the title – Metal Cowboy,” Ron declares, “hard & heavy with a southern side. Kind of like if AC/DC made a Skynyrd album – gritty screaming vocals, powerful rock riffs, but with some classic southern rock elements like Frank Hannon’s slide guitar.” All drum tracks were performed by Y&T’s Mike Vanderhule; other special guests include Travis Toy (Rascal Flatts), Brent Muscat (Faster Pussycat), Geno Arce & Bryan Jay from KEEL, Stacey Blades from L.A. Guns, and a “live in-studio” recording with the Sin City Sinners.

Confirmed upcoming concert appearances include the 2014 Monsters Of Rock Cruise and the 2014 M3 Festival.

The “Streets Of Rock & Roll” radio show is currently broadcast on 50 FM/AM/internet radio stations, and features interviews with rock stars, TV stars, and industry insiders as well as news, commentary, and new & rare music as well as the classics. The show is featured programming in all the Scion 2013 internet-ready automobiles.

2014 marks the 30th anniversary of Keel’s legendary major label debut album “The Right To Rock,” produced by KISS’ Gene Simmons – Keel went on to who notch three albums on Billboard’s Hot 100 as well as MTV and radio hits such as “The Right To Rock,” “Because The Night,” “Tears Of Fire,” “Somebody’s Waiting,” and “Rock & Roll Outlaw.”

As a songwriter, Ron has dozens of TV and film credits – major movies like “Men In Black II,” “Dolphin Tale,” “The Messengers” and many more – and his songs have been featured in hit TV shows like “Desperate Housewives,” “The Simpsons,” “X-Files,” “King Of The Hill,” and the Daytona 500 broadcast.

In addition to all his other projects, he serves as a counselor at Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp, the newest attraction at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, as well as consulting on the upcoming “rockumentary” film “Hair I Go Again.” Ron also continues to star in the Las Vegas show “Country Superstars,” where he portrays Ronnie Dunn from Brooks & Dunn; the show, which Ron helped create and produce, is currently at the V Theater at Planet Hollywood.

Ron also endorses, uses, and promotes quality instruments and products such as Legator guitars, Godin Electro-Acoustic guitars, Electro Voice microphones, Rock-N-Roll Gangstar Apparel, Ultimate Ears in-ear monitors, Sfarzo strings, In-Tune guitar picks and Re-Axe products.

The entire story can be read in Ron's recently-released autobiography, "EVEN KEEL: :Life On The Streets Of Rock & Roll," available at RonKeel.com.

In 2017, Badlands House Band was renamed Ron Keel Band, retaining the same band members. Their debut album 'Fight Like A Band" was released in 2019 on EMP Label Group, and followed in 2020 with 'South X South Dakota," an album of southern rock covers, on HighVol Music. Ron Keel Band has opened shows for Tesla, Night Ranger, Dwight Yoakam, RATT, Warrant, and Sawyer Brown as well as headlining major biker events, casinos, fairs, clubs and festivals.

Ron Keel's 2019/2020 World Tour included the Monsters Of Rock Cruise (Belize/Cozumel), Ron’s first-ever tour of Australia, the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, Italy, the KISS & Rock N Roll Expo in Helsinki, Finland, casinos, fairs and festivals stateside, KEELFEST (featuring Keel, Ron Keel Band and Steeler) in Columbus, Ohio plus major bike events like the Sturgis Rally and Hot Harley Nights. He continues to perform worldwide with Ron Keel Band and as an acoustic solo artist.

In 2022, Ron Keel launched RFK Media LLC, a record label/multi-media company releasing his new albums and working with other artists. The first release from RFK Media was " 'Keeled', an EP of 80's Keel songs re-recorded by Ron Keel Band.

Keel continues to make Sioux Falls, South Dakota his home where he and his band have a tremendous following and support.