Holland was a founding member of the highly acclaimed and successful band Squeeze. He played piano and keyboards on all their singles and albums through 1980, when he left the band to concentrate on his own career (though he would later return).
Holland had actually begun issuing solo records as early as 1978 (with an EP called Boogie Woogie '78), and continued his solo career through the early 1980s, releasing an album and several singles between 1981 and 1984. He perhaps gained more fame, however, as a TV host, co-presenting the Newcastle-based TV music show The Tube with Paula Yates. Holland achieved notoriety by swearing to camera on live TV causing the show to be lifted for 3 performances, and was fired as a result.
In 1985, Squeeze (which had continued in Holland's absence through 1982) unexpectedly re-grouped. Holland was once again the keyboard player for the band through 1990. At that point, he again departed Squeeze on amicable terms to resume his solo career as both a musician and a TV host.
Since 1992 he has presented the eclectic music programme Later with Jools Holland, plus an annual New Year's Eve "Hootenanny", and has shaken off his "bad boy" image to become a respected musician.
Singers Sam Brown and Ruby Turner often join his touring band, The Rhythm And Blues Orchestra
