Ronnie Wood and His Band feat. Imelda May
September 1, 2026
Volkshaus Zurich
- Only Swiss show -
Few can claim to have had a career as illustrious or diverse as Ronnie Wood’s. Ronnie, who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice (with the Rolling Stones and the Faces), has played in some of the most influential rock bands of all time and performed as a guest with the greats of the British music scene. At the same time, he looks back on a remarkable parallel career as a highly regarded artist and, as a born storyteller, has won a record three prestigious Sony Radio Personality Awards. Ronnie Wood And His Band Featuring Imelda May will perform on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at the Volkshaus in Zurich.
As a descendant of a long line of houseboat dwellers, Ronnie grew up in a lively, musical, and artistic household in West London. His father played in a harmonica orchestra, while his older brothers Ted and Art were both accomplished musicians and graphic designers. Since Ronnie showed creative talent at a young age, his brothers pooled their money to buy him an acoustic guitar, and at the age of 14, he acquired his first electric guitar.
Soon after, Ronnie launched his musical career when he joined the local group The Birds and dropped out of Ealing Art College to focus entirely on the band.
Signed to Decca, the Stones’ label, the group’s rousing renditions of R&B made them a popular live act across the country. However, their popularity did not translate into record sales, and the group eventually split up.
The year 1967 marked a milestone in his career when Ronnie joined the Jeff Beck Group as a bassist.
With frontman Rod Stewart’s raw vocals, the brilliant guitar playing of blues rebel Beck, and Ronnie’s instinctive bass lines, the Jeff Beck Group laid the blueprint for British hard rock. Despite intense musical chemistry, tensions often arose within the band, and Ronnie briefly moved to the cult mod band The Creation. It was inevitable that the Jeff Beck Group would finally disband in 1969—just two weeks before their performance at Woodstock— but not before releasing two classic albums, thrilling U.S. audiences with their live performances, and laying the groundwork for up-and-coming rock bands like Led Zeppelin.
After a brief stint with Quiet Melon alongside his brother Art, luck smiled on Ronnie once again.
Following the departure of singer Steve Marriott, the remaining three members of the Small Faces approached Ronnie and Rod with an offer to form a new band. Under the new name The Faces, the band brought an adventurous rock-’n’-roll spirit to a bleak music scene, drew huge crowds with their exuberant live shows, and influenced a generation of punk musicians who were just getting started. Back on the six-string guitar, Ronnie helped write some of The Faces’ best and most famous songs, such as “Ooh La La” and “Stay With Me,” while also making significant contributions to Rod Stewart’s first solo albums.
With growing confidence in his abilities, Ronnie also released his own solo albums during this period.
With their unique, raw charm, “I’ve Got My Own Album To Do” (1974) and “Now Look” (1975) featured a whole host of guest stars, including George Harrison, Rod Stewart, Bobby Womack, and his future bandmates Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. These albums helped cement Ronnie’s reputation as a first-rate musician and songwriter.
“I used to run home from school to watch the Stones on TV. Ever since my college days, I’d wanted to be in that band.”
In 1975, fate intervened once again in Ronnie’s life. When the Faces finally broke up and Mick Taylor left the Rolling Stones at the same time, a chance encounter with Mick Jagger at a party led to Ronnie finally landing his dream job as the Rolling Stones’ guitarist.
With his musical versatility and warmth, Ronnie fit perfectly into the group and has long since established himself as an indispensable part of the Rolling Stones’ sound. Keith Richards most aptly describes the bluesy guitar interplay between him and Ronnie as “the ancient art of weaving,” which magically blurs the boundaries between rhythm and lead.
Even as a member of the Stones, Ronnie continued to perform with a host of music legends, from Dylan to Bo Diddley. He founded the supergroup The New Barbarians, which included Keith Richards, former Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan, bassist Stanley Clarke, Stones saxophonist Bobby Keys, and drummer Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste of The Meters. He has also released a series of well-received solo albums.
Ronnie’s passion for painting remains undiminished, and he continues to be a sought-after artist. “I’ve always been in the hands of fate. I don’t know what I’d do, but I know it would be something great.” Ronnie is busier than ever today, having opened his first online art shop where fans from all over the world can view and order his artwork. The shop is updated every week with Ronnie’s latest works.
Ronnie doesn’t just create new works in the studio. Ronnie released FEARLESS: THE ANTHOLOGY 1965–2025—a collection spanning his entire career and celebrating 60 years of incredible music!
FEARLESS features highlights from Ronnie’s legendary journey with the Rolling Stones, the Faces, the Jeff Beck Group, the Birds, Creation, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Lane, and his solo career, as well as four brand-new tracks recorded in 2025, including the just-released “You’re So Fine,” which is now available to stream.
With the twists and turns of his career, Ronnie has lived more lives than most. Who knows what the next chapter holds, but it certainly won’t disappoint!
Translated with DeepL
