A classy Hard Rock act, that managed to combine melody with a raw Hard Rock sound and achieve a sizable fanbase and degree of commercial success along the way. Namesake Ron Keel, a man with a rare, instantly distinguishable vocal roar, first came to prominence as frontman for STEELER, the band that was to initiate the American career of Swedish guitarist extraordinaire YNGWE MALMSTEEN.

In 1984 Ron Keel finally split STEELER and, after rumours that he came mighty close to landing the then vacant BLACK SABBATH vocalist's job, duly assembled KEEL. The first incarnation of KEEL boasted Boston born MARC FERRARI, ex-of Boston's STEEL ASSASSIN, and Phoenix native David Michael-Phillips, who had played in an early incarnation of ICON, on guitars, ex-METAL BEAST bassist Kenny Chaisson (the brother of one-time STEELER bassist Greg Chaisson) and ex-STEELER and LONDON drummer Bobby Marks.

This line-up of KEEL performed only one gig, at at Perkin's Palace in Pasadena, before breaking up due to Ron Keel's premature annoucement in regard to the BLACK SABBATH job. The reality of the situation was that Keel had recorded vocals on tracks, originally composed by KICK AXE, for submission to the BLACK SABBATH camp. Producer Spencer Proffer was angling to get these songs, and Keel, into the project but the Birmingham veterans reply was swift and scornful. Ron Keel never auditioned or recorded any material with members of BLACK SABBATH.

Former ROADMASTER, STEPPENWOLF and THE B'ZZ drummer Stephen Riley was also to spend a short period of time in KEEL following the group recording their debut album, but he would quickly jump ship to hook up with W.A.S.P., where he took over from Tony Richards, and later join L.A. GUNS.

Retaining his links with Shrapnel Records from STEELER, Keel had taken the band, with by now Bryan Jay having replaced a KING KOBRA bound David Michael-Philips, into the studio to cut KEEL's opening salvo 'Lay Down The Law'. The record created excited praise amongst the Rock press and generated healthy import sales into Europe prompting the interest of KISS leader GENE SIMMONS and, in turn, the A&M affiliated Gold Mountain Records. A deal was secured and Simmons produced 1985's 'The Right To Rock'. By now Dwain Miller had been enrolled on drums and the new album boasted re-recorded versions of 'Speed Demon' and the ROLLING STONES' 'Let's Spend The Night Together'.

1986's 'The Final Frontier', the band's first for MCA Records, saw no let up in or hard rocking intent. The album was, once more, produced by Simmons and guest musicians include ex-DETECTIVE vocalist MICHAEL DES BARRES, GIUFFRIA's Greg Giuffria and BLACK N' BLUE's Jaime St. James on backing vocals as well as guitars from JOAN JETT and former MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP and HEAVEN man MITCH PERRY. KEEL toured hard promoting its release including support shows to DIO in Britain prior to opening for KROKUS in America.

Intent on pushing their own identity to the fore KEEL chose not to continue their relationship with Simmons for their next album. Simply titled 'Keel', the record featured a co-write with DIO's Jimmy Bain entitled 'Calm Before The Storm'. The record was produced by Michael Wagener.

The 'Larger Than Live' album comprised one side of brand new material and the other featuring live stuff, recorded at The Roxy in Los Angeles including two additional new songs and a cover of ROSE TATTOO's 'Rock And Roll Outlaw'. Jamie St James of BLACK N' BLUE and QUIET RIOT's KEVIN DUBROW supplied backing vocals to 'Fool For A Pretty Face'.

The new material found KEEL searching for a direction, the band certainly missing the input of departed guitarists Ferrari and Jay. Ron KEEL recruited Tony 'The Kid' Palmucci and keyboard player Scott Warren in their place, the latter after a brief period with Jesse Bradman (later of NIGHT RANGER) on keyboards.

Ferrari formed FERRARI, which due to some rather obvious legal objections from the prestige Italian car manufacturer later changed titles to COLD SWEAT. Vocalist Oni Logan fronted the band and they duly signed a deal with MCA. However, before anything could be recorded Logan was poached by LYNCH MOB. Warren would join WARRANT, BERLIN and latterly DIO.

Following the demise of KEEL Ron Keel returned fronting a novel concept, an otherwise all girl band called FAIR GAME. Assisting him in this group were ex-NO SHAME members guitarist Tina Listo and drummer Stephanie Leigh plus second guitarist Eve Marie and bassist Janna James. Although the band played gigs they never got beyond the demo stage. Listo, under her real name of Tina Wood, joined PHANTOM BLUE in 1996. MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's sister Athena Bass reportedly replaced Leigh on drums before the group folded. Recording sessions finally emerged in 2000 on the Metal Mayhem label billed as 'Beauty & The Beast'.

With FAIR GAME's demise, Keel turned his back on Hard Rock for a period, moving to Nashville and performing Country as Ronnie Lee Keel, even recording an album entitled 'Western Country'. True to form, Keel would make a significant impact on the Country scene too. However, the lure of Metal proved too much for the man and before long he was back with a Japanese deal in SABER TIGER.

At the time of Keel's rebirth as a Metal lovin' man, former KEEL bassist Kenny Chaisson was playing in the Phoenix based NEVERTHELESS. This act was fronted by former STACKS, HAIRY SCARY, CHRONIC and MANILA THRILL vocalist Michael Thomas Beck and included guitarist Mike Burchy, a pre KEEL acquaintance of Chaisson's from METAL BEAST, and drummer Donnie Fargo. Dwain Miller, after a spell with ROX DIAMOND, was playing with Kenny's brother Greg and Bryan Jay was living in Long Beach seemingly out of music altogether.

The issue of archive live material on the album 'Larger Than Live' would signal to the ex band members that fan demand was still high and amazingly, a new studio KEEL album appeared in early 1998, bringing together the main man, Ferrari, Jay, Chaisson and Miller for another stab with the 'Back In Action' album. The album featured new versions of old KEEL chestnuts like 'United Nations', a cover of ARGENT's 'Hold Your Head Up' and early recordings of 'Lay Down The Law' and 'Speed Demon'. Keel himself would offer up a new band venture meantime labelled IRONHORSE. In early 2001 Keel and Ferrari were reunited to perform on an AEROSMITH tribute album cutting a version of 'Back In The Saddle'.

Ron Keel featured an exclusive live take of 'Tears Of Fire' on the 2001 WDHA radio compilation album 'The Tour Bus- Road Trip'. Meantime IRONHORSE set about touring the USA performing numerous KEEL songs to bolster their set. The band's Anahiem gig would also see a guest showing from ex-KEEL six stringers Bryan Jay and MARC FERRARI.

In September of 2004 it was announced that Ron Keel was to form up part of ex-RATT singer STEPHEN PEARCY's much vaunted 'Bastards of Metal' tour as announcement revealed plans to include a roster of Pearcy, Keel, former ANTHRAX frontman Joey Belladonna, the BULLETBOYS Marq Torien and Jason McMaster of DANGEROUS TOYS and WATCHTOWER. Also on the billing would be DROP and STS.

The Summer of 2005 found Ron Keel fronting up the 'Acoustic Outcasts' tour packaged with Terry Ilous of XYZ, Kelly Keeling of MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, BLUE MURDER, BATON ROUGE and GEORGE LYNCH band repute, Charlie Wayne of the BULLETBOYS, HAWK, KEEL and WAYNE, guitarist JK Northrup of KING KOBRA, XYZ, and the PAUL SHORTINO band plus Danny Vaughn, frontman for TYKETTO, WAYSTED and VAUGHN. DOKKEN frontman DON DOKKEN signed up for these gigs but, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Dokken would pull out, switching his allegiance to a similar tour venture organised by VH1. Unfortunately, just days later, the 'Acoustic Outcasts' shows would be cancelled.

In 2007 a double CD compilation entitled 'The Ultimate Ron Keel Collection' emerged, which included KEEL tracks alongside previously unreleased material from LUST, SABER TIGER and STEELER plus the new solo track 'Long Time Coming'.

KEEL reunited in November 2008, the membership comprising Ron Keel, Marc Ferrari, Bryan Jay, Dwain Miller and bassist Geno Arce. This quintet first performed live at Club Vodka in Hollywood on 31st January 2009 supported by DC4. KEEL and producer Pat Regan entered a North Hollywood, California studio on 18th June to begin recording their new album 'Streets Of Rock 'N' Roll'.