Growing up in Evanston, Illinois, Ron Hockett began playing professionally with George Brunies, Bobby Gordon and the Salty Dogs while still in high school. A member of the popular youth group, The Windjammers, Hockett took part in rehearsals that turned into jam sessions with visiting greats Bobby Hackett, Bud Freeman and Jimmy McPartland. While a student at Princeton, Ron toured the Orient with the Dukes of Dixieland. From 1970 to 1999, he was the lead saxophonist and clarinet soloist in the “President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band in Washington, D.C., performing throughout the U.S. and Europe, and making regular appearances at the White House. After retiring from the Marine Band, Ron began a 12-year run as the Clarinetist with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band in San Antonio, (from 1999 to 2011) and appeared on hundreds of public radio programs with Cullum in the series “Riverwalk: Live From the Landing” which can still be heard on the internet at https://riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu/
He now lives in Charlotte and is a frequent guest at the Carolina Jazz Society sessions.