Ron Kavana

A musician long associated with The Pogues, Celtic folk and rock singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Ron Kavana was born Ronnie Kavanagh on June 21, 1950, in Dublin, Ireland. Originally playing in and R&B band in Ireland, he moved to London, England in the late 1970s and got a job at Rock on Records. He replaced an employee by the name of Philip Chevron, who would later find fame with his band The Radiators from Space and then The Pogues. In the late ‘70s, Ron Kavana formed his band Kavana’s Krisis Band, which evolved into Ace Records’ house band Juice on the Loose. The band backed visiting US musical legends including Champion Jack Dupree, Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry, Dr. John, Jay McNeely, Memphis Slim, and many others. Juice on the Loose also made their own recordings and released their debut self-titled album in 1981. Ron Kavana also played in several other bands in the ‘70s and ‘80s including The Alexis Korner Band, Panama Red, and The Thunderbirds. After several years as a band leader, he issued a solo album, Rollin’ & Coastin’ (1985), which included both solo recordings and tracks featuring Juice on the Loose. He undertook several tours opening for The Pogues and was on the shortlist to replace bassist Cait O’Riordan, but that position eventually went to Darryl Hunt. His next musical project was Alias Ron Kavana, a critically successful band that earned Folk Roots Magazine’s Best Live Act in the World honor three times between 1989 and 1991. The group’s debut album, Think Like a Hero, was issued in 1989. The group released another album, Coming Days, was released in 1991, the same year he returned to a solo career with the album Home Fires, which featured The Pogues’ Terry Woods. After leaving The Pogues, Terry Woods joined forces with Ron Kavana in a new band The Bucks and issued the album Dancin’ to the Ceili Band (1994). Alias Ron Kavana returned with the critically acclaimed album Galway to Graceland (1995) but after years of frustration with his various record labels, Ron Kavana left the music business for several years. He returned in 1999 with the live album Alien Alert (1999) and only recorded sporadically after that. His later albums included Irish Songs of Rebellion, Resistance, and Reconciliation (2006), Irish Ways: Story of Ireland in Song, Music & Poetry (2007), and 40 Favorite Folks Songs (2011). Ron Kavana died at the age of 72 on May 4, 2024.

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