Born in Helena, Arkansas,[2] Holloway started playing banjo and harmonica, switching to tenor saxophone when he was 12 years old.

In the 1950s, he played in the Chicago area with Billie Holiday, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Ben Webster, Jimmy Rushing, Arthur Prysock, Dakota Staton, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Wardell Gray, Sonny Rollins, Red Rodney, Lester Young, Joe Williams, Redd Foxx, The Moonglows, B.B.

In 1974, Holloway recorded The Latest Edition with John Mayall and toured Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

[4] Red Holloway died in Morro Bay, California,[2][6] aged 84 of a stroke and kidney failure[7] on February 25, 2012, one month after Etta James, with whom he had worked extensively.

With Gene Ammons With George Benson With Freddy Cole With Joe Dukes With Atle Hammer With Etta James With Etta James and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson With Junior Mance With Wade Marcus With John Mayall With Jack McDuff With Jimmy McGriff With Carmen McRae With Knut Riisnæs With Horace Silver With Clark Terry With Joe Williams