iRon Lion- available for acoustic, dj & band backing shows!

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Reggae artist iRon Lion, reggae bands, arts and entertainment

     iRon Lion is a Rastafarian influenced soul,reggae & hip hop musician,writer,producer & artist who performs with a backing band, acoustic or dj/trax backing! 

     iRon Lion was born, Ronnie Brandon in 1974 on the south-side of Chicago and started performing early on around the city with his church choir. "We always had to sing, my mom was the choir director. Church on Sunday's was mandatory and so was choir rehearsals during the week. My church was full of family and church was where we rejoiced together each week! I was pushed to sing solos and I used to love playing on the piano after church. I attended Corliss High School's pre-school program then moved on to Countee Cullen elementary school on the south-side until 3rd grade, then in 1983 my family moved to Virginia." he states. "Once I got there I started writing, rapping and sparring in the streets with local youths and following labels like Def Jam who were distributing their artists music into our local stores. But KRS-ONE, not a Def Jam artist, was actually my favorite rapper and he used alot of reggae in his productions and wrote alot of socio-conscious lyrics. I followed him which lead to my love for Bob Marley and his children, Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers."

     In 1988, after Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers hit his town on their "Conscious Party" Tour, iRon Lion along with a few other youths who shared the same interest began writing, recording and performing on local festivals and in clubs around Harrisonburg, Virginia. , a small mountain valley town located in the northwest Blue Ridge Mountain section of Virginia, where James Madison University is and whose claim to fame is 7'4" NBA legend Ralph Sampson, a University of Virginia(Charlottesville) product. "Our band came from his neighborhood, a very small minority section of a Mennonite & commonwealth controlled town. Ralph was our hero and became a part of me like extended family, so he was a great inspiration. Growing up we were rebel youths, loving NWA rap group and Bob Marley and other historically rebellious music, so I created alot of rebel music also, but alot of love & party music too. I enjoyed a wide variety of music. Axl Rose was my favorite front man in high school and Slash my favorite guitarist. I sang their songs and more hit songs at lunch time to draw attention to myself." he states. After many years of band name changes and increasing popularity, the group of neighborhood youths who became known as Stable Roots would grow up and the members would go their seperate ways.  

    In 2000, iRon Lion began to focus on his own brand and development while sharing the Rastafarian based music which had become such a major part of his reputation. "Bob Marley influenced us greatly and we were humbled by the music coming from Jamaica, reggae music. I was blessed to tour along the east coast and meet many Rasta people, veteran reggae fest-goers and business people and learn from them. My interest in Africa only grew. Africa was always my favorite place to want to visit, I've always had a desire to go check the roots of mankind, the motherland!"

      After many years of having children, and gaining more experience in life, which would lead to more dynamic songs being written, a mix cd titled "Watch Out", an EP titled "Positive Vibration" and several singles, iRon Lion's solo cd "Reggae Party" was released and promoted on international platform Reggaeville.com, giving him a serious push into the international consciousness of reggae lovers, starting at home where he won the Virginia Reggae Award for favorite cd! "After that I had to step back and start learning to do things differently, especially on the business side. With the introduction of social media it's like being in elementary school all over again and it's pretty fun. I'm learning and growing daily and seeing the results." Songs like "King of Kings", "Papaya" and "Feels so Good" from the Reggae Party cd are recent fan favorites!

     Through the years iRon Lion has opened for some of reggae's biggest named acts like The Wailers Band, Jimmy Cliff, Yellowman, SOJA, Morgan Heritage and many more! He has also played at an enormous amount of private parties, festivals, clubs and events along the east coast. 

     After touring many years on the east coast mainly between NYC and Florida, technology along with social media has helped his fan base grow and plans to tour abroad are coming together!

     "My song catalogue and my stage experience have grown tremendously and I love to entertain a crowd, I appreciate everybody that's let's me have a show and those who have come out and experienced me and my band family."

     The soft-spoken spiritual vocalist, writer and keyboardist, enchants his audiences (as in reggae festivals, night clubs, bars, cruises, college events, or more intimate settings like private celebrations), with roots reggae music, ska, dancehall, soul music. He offers a rich and diversified repertoire to please all age groups. iRon Lion is both available for solo shows (acoustic), DJ backing shows or with his band The Knotty Lions.
   

      His current Knotty Lionz Band/Camp consists of a talented group of professional Virginia, Maryland & Washington DC-based musicians. Many of the family members have toured the world backing various other major reggae artists. The core being musicians from his hometown. For bigger shows he drafts from The Knotty Lionz Camp to add guitar,more keys,horns,etc. to add more fire to the event! 

     iRon Lion performs classic soul & reggae music by legends like Sam Cooke, Bill Withers, Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Beres Hammond, Gregory Isaacs and more. His original catalogue is full of songs that soul, & reggae lovers appreciate. "I think I'm a good writer, still working to spread the message of truth & rights & love to a wider audience!" he adds.

    "Being able to tour is a blessing, to be able to become one with people through music and performance, I love it and have been blessed to do it since I was 5 years old singing in my church gospel choir in Chicago! Reggae became my gospel and reggae lovers my core musical family!" he states.

     Seeing iRon Lion perform is definitely a positive experience! Out of Virginia following music greats like Teddy Riley,Timbaland,Pharrell,D'Angelo,Chris Brown & many more , comes another hot producer & this time, reggae & soul sensation,

 Ronnie "iRon Lion" Brandon!

Some songs covered by iRon Lion:

STAND BY ME - BEN E. KING

UNDER THE BOARDWALK - THE DRIFTERS

ANGEL/JOKER - SHAGGY/STEVE MILLER BAND

JAMROCK - DAMIAN MARLEY

NIGHT NURSE - GREGORY ISAACS

JAMMIN - BOB MARLEY

ONE LOVE - BOB MARLEY

I SHOT THE SHERIFF - BOB MARLEY

ROLLER SKATES - STEEL PULSE

SWEAT - INNER CIRCLE

54/46 - TOOTS & THE MAYTALS

I'M STILL IN LOVE - SEAN PAUL/ALTON ELLIS

NO,NO,NO - DAWN PENN

 IRON LION WORLD

As for the future iRon Lion says, "I hope to establish a music label like Berry Gordy did with Motown and like Jamaica's Studio One created by Sir Coxonne Dodd as well as Bob Marley with Tuff Gong or modern day Def Jam/ROC Nation owned by Sean Carter aka Jay Z.

 This would allow me to help poverty stricken but talented youth escape poverty through education. academics, arts and athletics training. 

That is what iRon Lion World is all about. 

One Love!