Jon Eric Music

For those interested, there are a few shows on the books for those in

Iowa City, Ames and Des Moines.

Tonight, Friday, April 23rd,AND April 24th

I will be sitting in with my old friends Mr. Babers Neighbors- The Solar String Band as they bring in The South Paw Bluegrass Band from Omaha, NE for 2 shared venues.

Friday’s show is @ DG’s Tap House in Ames, IA

Saturday’s show will be @ Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines, IA

In between all that, I will be coming BACK to Iowa City to play at RIVERFEST! That set will be played from 4pm-5pm Saturday April 24th @ The Iowa River Stage.

Riverfest 2010

What a fun weekend this will be!!!

Also here are a few pics taken by Jason Larson for the 4/20 show this past Tuesday @ The Blue Moose Tap House.

Jon Eric pickin' @ The Blue Moose Tap House on 4/20

Jon Eric pickin' @ The Blue Moose Tap House on 4/20

BELOW is another sit in opportunity I had with a VERY special young band that I enjoy for those that are not aware yet, The Workshy is exploding on the jam band scene. Back in December they had asked me to sit in when they came to Iowa City on 4/17- My response??? “ABSOLUTELY!!! I love playing in F#m!!!”      : )

Jon Eric sitting in with The WorkShy

Jon Eric pickin' sitting in with The WorkShy

Last but not least-

Here are a couple more pictures (sent to me) of playing with

Vince Herman & The Great American Taxi

The Great American Taxi & Jon Eric

The Great American Taxi & Jon Eric #2

It is now the 16th of April, 2010.

Performing dates are coming in like gangbusters!

There were quite a few updates and last week-

D’ADDARIO & CO has taken me under wing and I am now SO honored and have the privilege to announce that I am now ENDORSED with their company! Special thanks to the D’Addario family which includes PLANET WAVES, EVANS,  BOWED, FRETTED STRINGS, RICO REEDS, PURESOUND SNARE WIRES, & HQ PERCUSSION

This announcement was given on AIR for KRUI FM for Little Village Live on 4/07/2010

Jon Eric -Little Village Mag Krui FM

DREW BULLMAN’S article can be found HERE (also in that write up, there are 4 youtube videos attached for those that missed the live radio show!)

Feeling the anticipation of doing a few really neat venues this year as well.

Last week I had the honor of sharing the stage with my old friend Vince Herman last Thursday (4/08/2010) and his band The Great American Taxi from Colorado! Vince has been kind enough to allow me to learn and grow as a musician forging through the hot sounds he and his band plays. For that I am so deeply grateful for any opportunity I get to sit in with those super talented fellas! Below are some pics of the show @ The Red Stone Room in Davenport, IA

The Great American Taxi

Jon Eric sitting in with The Great American Taxi

Jon Eric sitting in with The Great American Taxi

Jon Eric sitting in with The Great American Taxi

Jon Eric at The Red Stone Room sittin in with The Great American Taxi

Vince Herman playing at The Red Stone Room

The Great American Taxi w/ special guest Jon Eric (banjo)

The Great American Taxi w/ special guest Jon Eric (banjo)

Saturday 4/10/2010 I had the opportunity of sitting in with Mr. Baber’s Neighbors- The Solar String Band (MBN-TSSB) as they opened for The Nadas CD release @ The Fine Line in Minniapolis, MN (pics will be posted as I receive them. Thank you to the “Baberhood” for another night of Bluegrass BLISS!

Click HERE for an interview HOT off the presses!

Feel free to share with friends and those that like fiddle, banjo, or BLUEGRASS!

Thanks a ton to iFiddle for everything! Check em out…

Though the bookings are STILL coming in and we are gearing up for a wonderful festival season. There will be many more shows added as they come in.

A lot of these shows are booked enough in advance that you will be able to see the updates as they occur.

Thank you to the good friends and fans that are following the dreams and goals for 2010. Understanding 1st and foremost that YOU are the reason I am so grateful to do music for a living. THANK YOU!

Also feel free to share away on your blog or site by pressing the upper right hand “share” button.

Way to go Dixie Chicks! It’s about time for another tour!

A selection was used for the couples skating routine.

With USA’s own Samuelson/Bates. Awesome job in

choosing a piece of music that bends the ear!

Your fans here in America LOVED it and are so proud of you.

Check out the you tube videos circulating the web.

I always knew the world would LOVE the banjo!

Here is my BAND page for Facebook

And here is where you can find some NEW tunes (just added)-

Also the gig schedule can be found there as it was updated this week. Festival season is about to gear up!

Please feel free to share, comment, or rate with those kindred spirits you think may enjoy! Again I can not thank you enough for the whirlwind of a year this has been for me. Living the dream of a lifetime.

Banjo… who would have thought-
Darn it! My father was RIGHT! (grin)

Here’s a thought that has been in my head today:

Patience = working your whole like for that one shot in life!
Wisdom = knowing when to take that shot!
And yes you may quote me on that.

Banjositically yours,

Jon Eric

Http://www.jonericmusic.com

Hello everyone! Looks like they have extended the voting

until November 15th, 2009! These daily votes will be counted and

the top 5 winners will be notified on the 17th of Nov.

If you need the link to the vote page- click HERE

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With other news I will be playing this

Friday 11/6/09 @ Agave in Coralville, IA with SlewGrass Trio who will be opening for:

Scott Cochran and Flannel- 9pm is the start time for this show!

THEN

Saturday November 7th,2009

@ Bent River Brewery in M0line, IL for a solo show.

Spread the word on this and I would be delighted if you came out to share in some great food, drinks, dancing and FUN!

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This past 2 weeks I have played 4 shows with Mr. Baber’s Neighbors the Solar String Band from Des Moines (filling in for their banjo player Paul Perkins)

Opening for Greensky Bluegrass band- as well as opening twice for HOT BUTTERED RUM! Thanks to those boys for allowing me to share the stage while playing Erik Yates’ banjo (while Erik was on Dobro!) during 2 tunes of their 2nd set @ The Iowa City Yacht Club! What a TREAT (even before Halloween!)

Then my friend Joe called for a fill in last Thursday night at the Iowa City Yacht Club- and friends came out in droves at the last min. to play for the band that canceled. I got to do a “solo set” which was VERY well received!

Thanks to ALL the fans and friends who support the music I do my best to make. I feel so very humbled to be a part of the intertwining music scenes especially now!

Tonight IS the night of the full moon!

To vote for Jon Eric- Click HERE

Be sure to stop by daily and vote.

Thank you in advance!!!

~JE

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Article below:

The Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival, a one-day music fest to be held this December 12th, 2009 at the legendary Congress Theatre, is bringing the Battle of the Banjos to the Windy City. Organizers have announced the kickoff of “Last Banjo Standing,” an online contest that will scour the Chicagoland area to find the top bluegrass or blues inspired artist.

The winner, as voted on by fans, family, friends and music lovers around the city, will join a slew of national headliners – including Béla Fleck & the Flecktones and the Emmitt-Nershi Band – on stage this fall. 25 bands for a mere $35 bucks just got a whole lot sweeter, as one local band will get the chance to bring down the house, alongside: Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, Emmitt-Nershi Band, Dr. Dog, Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, The Giving Tree Band, Van Ghost, Majors Junction, Chicago Farmer, Jaik Willis, Josh Phillips Folk Festival, Mike Mangione & The Band, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Tangleweed, Environmental Encroachment, Squeeze-bot, GreenSugar, How Far to Austin, Liberty Bluegrass Band, The Right Now, Cobalt & the Hired Guns, The Shams Band, Goodbyehome, and the Junior League Band

Online voting:
The online voting period begins on October 15th, and concludes on October 31st, 2009. Each e-mail address will be allotted one vote per day, and as is the tradition in Chicago, encourage your supporters to vote early and often!

Winner will be announced:
After October 31st the votes will be tallied and Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival organizers will choose the winning artist amongst the top 5 vote-getters. The winner will be announced at 12:00 a.m. on October 16th, at www.cbbfestival.com.

“As we kick off the inaugural Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival, we launched the Last Banjo Standing contest to give every musician a shot at taking the stage. Chicago boasts a non-elitist reputation for recognizing good music, and we’re excited to give an up-and-coming, still-to-be-discovered musician the exposure they need to break through to the next level,” says Michael Raspatello, founder/organizer of the Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival.

A portion of each $35 ticket will also be donated to the Saving Tiny Hearts Society, a non-profit organization that raises money for life-saving research of congenital heart defects (CHD), and Prevent Child Abuse America.

For more information about the contest and for full lineup and ticket purchasing information, please visit: www.cbbfestival.com.

10/09/09-Tonight SlewGrass is playing a FREE show @ The Eagles Lodge (across from Paul’s) in Iowa City.

10/10/09- Saturday- was going to try and make the Eden Valley Bluegrass Festival.  I remember such a good time there with all the folks who came out to this event a couple of years ago when I sat in with another bluegrass band who needed a banjo to fill in.

10/11/09- Sunday is THIS event (below) and have been gearing up for it.

THIS SUNDAY!

I am very thankful for the opportunity to share in an afternoon of music and fun doing several different styles of music that few have heard me perform.

This show is open to the public and FREE!

Hope to see you there!

~JE

After getting back to Iowa from taking a flight down to the Washington DC area. I was in for the time of my life seeing old friends and meeting some VERY talented new ones. With a flight being MUCH faster than a 1000 mile one way car trip.

I want to thank my buddy Mark Newton for the opportunity of sharing his “Homecoming Pickin’ Party” in Fredericksburg, VA. Raising money for the James Monroe High School Athletics Dept. on September 19th, 2009,  it was a bluegrass fund raising event that we all hope will continue for YEARS to come! The weather held- and everyone I chatted with had such a delightful time! The amazing volunteers and planning of this event was over12 months in the making and recording artists that came together for such a worthy cause made this such a huge success!

Also special thanks to Larry Jett (Sonrise) who invited me down to Wally Clever’s recording studio in Fredericksburg on Thursday 9/17/09. They are in the middle of recording cd #4 and tore it up in the studio! Sonrise is a southern style bluegrass/gospel band that is rock solid! Kind of ironic how I talked to the bass player Eddie Haynes about his son Justin Haynes (fiddler for 3rd Tyme Out). Saturday playing with Mark Newton on the main stage- Justin was sawin that fiddle to my “stage-left”! What an treat!

Pictures will be added soon so check back here and bookmark to your favorites!

Also a special thanks to all of the great folks at the Iowa City Fiddler’s Picnic! After just getting off the plane in Moline, IL. I zipped out to the fairgrounds and picked with some friends on Sunday afternoon. What a FUN time!

The Iowa band I have been sitting in with SLEWGRASS will be doing a concert Friday September 25th, 2009– Opening for Scott Cochran & Flannel. This will be a FREE show this Friday at Agave Tequila Bar and Grill in Coralville- show starts at 0830 pm. Bring a friend and let’s pack this place!

Things have been keeping me quite busy in the last few months with

studio work, production work for “other artist’s” projects out of my home studio, editing, video shooting, teaching lessons, performing and driving to and fro.

These activities adding to the endless learning, has continued to be quite an exiting time more than ever.

To me, being so busy keeps me focused on the next set of projects.

Keep an eye out for where I will be next.

This could be any of the “sites” we all visit daily. And can change with just a phone call from someone who wants me to sit in. From Iowa City to the world- one just never knows…

Banjo is getting SO popular these days!

Even Steve Martin has been making the circuit with his playing. Hat’s off to Steve for bringing the banjo into the living rooms and even bed rooms of late night TV.  Now even playing banjo on American Idol and Ellen! I hope “The Crow” sells a ton for him! WTG you wild and crazy guy!

Bob Black and I are finally shooting on the instructional DVD together. After finding a location to shoot and scheduling. We are now knee deep in the project! This will be coming out in late summer to early fall and is going to be a really fun way to pick!

Been also working on my solo cd which will be out by mid July (crossing fingers here).

Is that enough?  Not a chance! It’s only the beginning- to something building out of the air…

Sure hope our paths cross soon!

Banjoistically yours,

Jon Eric