Music Community Rallies Behind Ailing Saxophone Legend Ron Holloway With GoFundMe Campaign

Acclaimed saxophonist Ron Holloway has spent over 50 years of his life bringing joy to people through music. Holloway has been dealing with one major medical issue after another since February and the Play It Forward fund has been established on GoFundMe to raise money for Ron’s numerous bills and expenses.

The fixture of the Washington D.C. music scene has performed with a who’s who of musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Susan Tedeschi, The Allman Brothers Band, Gil Scott-Heron and his eponymous band. Ron Holloway is also a frequent collaborator of Warren Haynes, who called the former Warren Haynes Band saxophonist the “unofficial fifth member of Gov’t Mule.”

Warren Haynes put out a call to help Ron Holloway with a post on social media, shining a light on the fundraiser. Haynes described the health problems Holloway has faced, writing:

“In February of this year, Ron was hospitalized due to complications from an injury he suffered last fall. While there, doctors discovered he hadn’t been eating, and that his body had stopped processing nutrition. They found a cancerous tumor and diagnosed him with Wernicke’s disease—a rare condition that’s severely affected his memory and cognitive function.

“Since then, it’s been a long road: hospital stays, surgeries, rehab centers, pneumonia, and setbacks. He’s still fighting, still recovering, and still in the hospital today as I write this. Ron has always given everything to the music—and to us.”

While organizers of the fundraiser believe all the cancer has been removed through surgery, the situation is still being watched. Holloway suffered a further setback in July, when he underwent another surgery to remove his spleen and developed pneumonia. As Haynes mentioned, the saxophonist is still in the hospital, where he is recovering before he can go back to a rehab center.

Unfortunately, like many lifelong musicians, Ron Holloway does not have substantial health insurance or savings. The goal of the Play It Forward campaign is to raise $200,000.

The money from the campaign will be used to help defray the $160K+ in expected medical and personal bills Holloway will have accumulated by the time he’s released. The remaining $40K will go towards Ron’s personal expenses for the first two years of his recovery, as it is unclear if or when he’ll be able to resume his career.

Play It Forward: The Ron Holloway Fund is being coordinated by his close friend and bandmate Jenny Langer. Donate via the campaign’s GoFundMe page. An online auction and multiple fundraising concerts are also in the works. Businesses or artists interested in participating are encouraged to fill out this form.

Read the full note from Warren Haynes regarding Ron Holloway below: