Jools Holland

A founder member of Squeeze in 1974, Jools Holland's lively piano playing and irrepressible personality played a key role in their reign of success through the 1970s; though his considerable instrumental ability has subsequently been overshadowed by the affection in which he's held for his role as a longstanding presenter of the UK TV show Later... with Jools Holland. Playing piano by ear, he first started performing in South London pubs before joining Squeeze, but quit after their third album in 1980. In addition to launching his solo career, Holland earned his first experience as a TV presenter on rock show The Tube and guested on records by other artists before forming the Jools Holland Big Band in 1987, concentrating on jazz and R&B music. He started presenting the musically eclectic show Later... with Jools Holland - and its acclaimed annual offshoot New Year show Hootenanny - in 1992, playing piano with many of the show's guests, while also continuing to tour and record with his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and collaborating with Tom Jones on an R&B album, Tom Jones and Jools Holland (2004).