Jason Ring
| Shows at the Purple Fiddle |
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“The quick-fingered Jason Ring is known as a man who can jam hard on anything with strings. Known around (Virginia) as a one-man, country-bluegrass-blues band, Jason Ring improvises fiery, intricate loops on the guitar, banjo, mandolin, dobro, and bass. Ring grew up in Galax, Virginia, a town that echoes with tunes from the world famous Galax Fiddler’s Convention, and at age 5 he started picking his own brew of bluegrass, Piedmont blues, and jazz with a little help from his folks. The traditional sounds of the Blue Ridge mixed with the eclectic flavors of jazz, ragtime, and gypsy swing that penetrate Ring’s songbook are the perfect accompaniment to a barstool, a bourbon, and a bowl of complimentary peanuts.” — C-Ville Weekly’s ARTS Pick
The South has too many musical traditions to recall…but now there is one entertainer who embodies them all. From his birth in Galax, Virginia in the shadow of the world-famous Galax Fiddler’s Convention to his love and mastery of the Delta Blues and everything in between, Jason is a must-see artist. At the young age of 5, by the instruction of his family, Jason started playing bluegrass and piedmont blues. Over time jazz, ragtime, and gypsy swing made it’s way through Jason’s music. Although he tries to not allow other people to influence his style of playing, one can tell that Tony Rice, Jerry Garcia, D’jango Reinhardt, Robert Johnson, “Bird,” “Train,” and Leo Kottke have all reserved spots in his CD case. Jason has become a mainstay in the entertainment scene in central and southwestern Virginia and now this multi-faceted artist has recorded CDs, Patchwork and Dry County Courier, which powerfully display not only his control of the musical traditions that have helped define American culture, but also demonstrates his contributions to it.