Ed Roland
(born August 3, 1963) is an American musician, and the vocalist for alternative rock band Collective Soul. He is the primary songwriter and also contributes guitars, keyboards, producing and engineering.
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ED ROLAND TICKETS
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Biography
Prior to forming Collective Soul, Roland studied songwriting/composing and
guitar at
Berklee College of Music in
Boston and worked at Real 2 Reel Studios in
Atlanta. He was part of a few local
bands including a short lived one called "Marching Two-Step" and performed
solo during the late-1980s and early-1990s. Roland released a solo album,
Ed-E Roland in 1991. This album was an
indie project pressed in limited quantities. It did however showcase his abilities to write, compose and perform music long before the success and fame with Collective Soul.
With hopes of finding some success in the music business and trying to secure publishing/songwriting contracts, Roland grew frustrated as he approached 30 years of age, trying to "get a break" and even thought about giving up on mission. But in 1993,
Hints, Allegations & Things Left Unsaid
had caught the attention of a college radio station in Orlando, Florida. This album comprised material that Roland had written and recorded prior to forming Collective Soul. The college station had started playing "Shine", and soon others followed, as word of mouth drew attention to the band. It was convincing enough that
Atlantic Records signed Collective Soul in early 1994 to a long term major label contract.
During his time with Collective Soul, Roland has become a skilled writer and vocalist known for composing catchy songs, many of which have "hit song" qualities. His versatility in the studio has made him a respected musician. The band has experienced many high levels of mainstream success with numerous hits and
gold/
platinum selling albums, which were mostly produced by Roland. Over the years he has led the band through many tours and various high profile performances including
Woodstock 1994 and
Woodstock 1999.
Ed's brother
Dean is also a member of the band. Their father was a
Southern Baptist minister which influenced their spiritual background; however, Ed has cited that Collective Soul does not fall under the Christian label.
[1] He is known for his moves on stage often swinging his mic stand and dancing across the stage.
Roland is 5'10" and now resides in
Scottsdale,
Arizona.
Solo Discography
Ed-E Roland
(1991), Core/Oxymoron - songwriter, instruments, producer, engineer
Ed also founded the record label
EL Music Group which was used for their album titled
Youth
and subsequent albums.
Ed-E Roland
1. Shame 2. Over Tokyo 3. Lost & Found 4. Hymn No. 24 5. Shelter 6. Don't Dull Pain 7. Window 8. Chris Can't Cry 9. Shut up & Dance