Jon Eric Music

Interested in listening to some FREE music?
“Right MEOW!” is now available!
Here is your secret link (if you like the tune)  to care, share, and be AWARE:

http://soundcloud.com/jonericmusic/right-meow/s-msyfq

This is the LEAST I can do for all the love and support each and every one of you have shown me.
You are welcome to share this link above with family or friends until New Years Day!
Why am I doing this? Because personally I feel that while “the media” (who made BILLIONS in
dividing us during the Presidential race)   is hounding you to SPEND
VERY few know that LOVE can not be BOUGHT or SOLD. And I truly believe that the
best things in life are in fact FREE!
Mostly in understanding that YOU spread the word, come to shows & taking a moment
to share your life with me- WE are down in the trenches together…
Through it all, I am deeply grateful to each and every one of you!

Whatever you “believe in” – Have a Happy & SAFE Holiday Season filled with music and celebration!

Lift your voice – spread your wings to take flight & march to the beat of your OWN drum
And those going against the grain of being “politically correct” ….

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Seeds have been planted my whole life to bring the music up to a point where GROWTH can thrive.  My “Flower of LIFE” has finally BLOOMED!

In explaining where my roots come from- using the symbols of earth,
my “Bluegrass roots” come from the Red Virginia CLAY of the Fredericksburg, VA area. After uprooting and transplanting to Iowa City where the farmers grow crops of corn in BLACK EARTH (or dirt) here in Iowa. This makes for growing good things in life. One has to understand the elements of the seasons though.
Extreme as they may be, we are called to plant good seeds if we wish a good fruit.

Many years in my life I was doing just the opposite. Planting bad seeds and reaping bad fruit. In changing my perspective and learning the “hard way”, I discovered that good seeds CAN be planted by random acts of kindness and seeking a different way of doing things. Is this right or wrong? Not really sure. All I do know (truly know nothing)   is that so far- this has worked in those we connect with.   We are ALL connected in one way or another. From the air we breath to the water we drink. Even to the soil we are all eventually buried back into- we ALL cherish LOVE when it is true. And seek an earned respect for being.

No matter what you may believe understand that you ARE loved. period

I wish to thank Kelsey Fried who has agreed to paint 12 banjo heads to be displayed one a month for 12 months. December 15th 2013 we will be giving a weekend concert/ art auction where ALL of these heads will be displayed.
Auction proceeds will benefit a charity of her choice.

When reflecting back on what this coming Thursday (THANKGIVING) means to me,
I am most thankful for LOVE, friends, and adopted family that has been there through
every step of my journey- unconditionally.

* Am also grateful my hands still work to serve musically or otherwise.

* Am thankful my most important tool can be once again used.
(spot repair to the banjo scroll down)

The next line up of shows can be found on my event page HERE

Thank YOU for being a part of my life!

To explain with a kind cool heart of the events may take some doing

so PLEASE read carefully.

Being that this was the anniversary of my father’s passing (USMC-ret. November 8, 2006) so there was almost giddy anticipation in seeing friends and fans I have not caught up with since July. Really looking forward to playing back up in Minneapolis, MN at a wonderful venue called the Whiskey Junction. Being all set up and ready to go I was approached by friends letting me know there was to be a warm up band. So I moved all the gear to the back of the stage so it was safely out of the way of the band doing music before my set. After their sound check they went upstairs to rehearse a few tunes. I went up got he stage, grabbed the banjo and climbed the stairs only to discover that the bridge had collapsed. Wondering instantly, “OK it dropped???”

Then I saw the break- 1st in the banjo then in my heart. See I had bought the banjo used out of my Mother’s memory after she had passed on as well. So doing music for a VERY modest living was about the ONLY way I found healing and loving energy in giving- Both in time & playing for ANYONE willing to listen.

The point to all this is that eventually I will be trying to obtain a NEW neck for it as it is being temporarily SPOT repaired so that the acoustic can make it through the rest of my tour. These necks are expensive and it unfortunately was uninsured do to most of the $ going into gas, “paying dues” & bills.

IF you wish to help in donating, The button is below.
Feel free to share this blog entry with friends if you wish.
Until it gets fixed my tour and show WILL go on- but just be “modified”…

HUGE thank you to all the people coming together after Hurricane Sally.
My heart, and prayers go out to all of you on the east coast during these challenging times. If you can- PLEASE donate where needed.

Here is a video just uploaded to You Tube last night. “TOP LEFT”
Feel free to share and enjoy!

Also the UPDATED show schedule for NOVEMBER.

Hope to see all of you out and about before it really starts getting cold.

After doing so many shows this fall, it’s nice to get balance and advise from my musical friends and family as to the direction the music journey flows to.

This week is exiting with an interview on KRUI-FM this Tuesday evening
on LOCAL TUNES with Jason Larson! Jason was actually the one who coined
the phrase “BANJO NINJA” and with the solid, clean, playing accuracy &
sitting in with several bands throughout the U.S. on festivals – it stuck!

THIS Thursday October 4th, 2012
Iowa City Yacht Club
from 8pm-11pm (all ages)
5.00 cover

Those wearing a Banjo Ninja or Peace Love Banjo shirt get in FREE!
Feel free to share or bring friends to this RARE solo Iowa City show.

Other Press on this show includes the URL links below:

FACEBOOK event page:
http://www.facebook.com/events/405448092847327/

KCRG / Cedar Rapids Gazette – Hoopla section
http://events.hooplanow.com/event_recurrences/38436-banjo-ninja-jon-eric-solo-show-yacht-club-iowa-city

The Iowa City Press Citizen
http://search.press-citizen.com/localevents/event//26175-Jon-Eric

After getting a phone call from my old friends in Des Moines, IA
I ventured out this weekend for a sold out event called:
POTOSI BREW FEST

What an amazing celebration of Good friends, food, Wisconsin Cheese, & Wine.

Got to sit in with Mr Baber’s Neighbors – The Solar String Band on 5 string banjo.
Such fun playing with those guys in a hugh energy full tilt traditional bluegrass show!
Thanks a bunch fellas.

Also note that the next ITEMS will get you through the next 2 weeks on the schedule (see post below)
And they are:

Really looking forward to seeing you out and about at the upcoming shows.

LOVE and Live WELL
This does NOT require money or can  be bought.
It is a state of mind without limits
And my wish for all of you.
Are you ready?
Then it’s time…

WAKE UP 

With all the bookings coming in for Jon Eric’s the fall season, here are the current updates.
Here’s to seeing you out and about at the shows below. There are some AMAZING line up acts at the festivals, so feel free to browse the links provided for all the information you need.

The Washington
(in support of Catfish Keith)
306 Washington
Burlington, IA
August 17^th, 2012 (8:30pm)
Facebook Link to show and MORE details are HERE

Bettendorf Public Library
Bettendorf, Iowa
August 18^th, 2012 (9am)
This is an ALL AGES event for kids and kids at heart!
More details are HERE

Green Mountian Eco Fest 2012
11564 Kinfolk Road, Eldridge, MO 65463
August 31 – Sept 3^rd 2012
http://www.greenmountainecofest.com/

Club Carbon
314 W Main St
Danville, KY 40422
Sept 5th, 2012
Facebook Link to show is HERE 

Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival
Harrodsburg, KY
Sept 6^th – 9^th 2012
http://www.terrapinhillfarm.com/festival/

Sept 10^th for a ½ hour at Bettendorf Library
after reception for PIE with Beth Howard
Info can be found HERE

Tribal Equinox
River West Park
Omaha, NE
September 20^th-23^rd 2012
http://www.tribalequinox.com/

House Party (invite only)
With Roster MaCabe Acoustic/Chris Freir + Greg Glenn
Des Moines, IA
September30, 2012

Iowa City Yacht Club
(in support of The Haunted Windchimes)
Iowa City, IA
October 4^th, 2012

 RESERVED for PRIVATE party
Iowa City, IA
Friday October 19th, 2012

RESERVED for SURPRISE show TBA
Moline, IL
October 25, 2012

Iowa City Yacht Club
SOLO show
Iowa City, IA
November 15, 2012
http://www.iowacityyachtclub.org/

HERE is a little video shot at  Vaudeville Mews on 8/9/2012
With Nathen Maxwell and the Original Bunny Gang.
FUN TIMES!

Here are some upcoming shows right around the bend.
Really hope to see you all out and about for some of these events!
Check the websites for the AMAZING line-up’s and all your details needed.

Wooley’s
http://www.woolysdm.com/
(with Blue Martain Tribe)
Des Moines, IA
August 3^rd, 2012

Southside Artisan Festival 2012
(NOTE-no website but Jon Eric will be playing 4 HOURS worth of music
in 2 separate sets along with local and regional artists in painting and print!)
The Elms
2108 Grandview Ave
Muscatine, IA
August 11^th, 2012

Eco Fest
http://www.greenmountainecofest.com/
11564 Kinfolk Road, Eldridge, MO 65463
August 31 – Sept 3^rd 2012

Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival
http://www.terrapinhillfarm.com/festival/
Harrodsburg, KY
Sept 7^th – 9^th 2012

So mark those calendars and keep checking back to see show updates as they come in!
Keep your ears out for and NEW tour & cd coming out in early FALL. 

Trillium Connect in Highbridge Hills, Wisconsin was such a FUN time- with heat wind and Sunday rain washing away the dust coated cars and tents. Everyone Jon Eric chatted with was geared up for the summer festival season which is now upon us. HUGE thank you’s sent out to Useful Jenkins (Mankato, MN) — Dead Larry (Minneapolis, MN) & Smokin Joe Scarpellino (of Dead Larry) for having the “Banjo Ninja” sit in, along with doing his own solo set. Such a giving time to friends who attend when notes can be shared with others.

THIS weekend holds exiting and brand new places Jon Eric has not played yet— LAWRENCE, KANSAS!
Jon Eric will be giving a FREE show to those who wish to attend at Barnyard Beer 
Also there is a press write up HERE 
Doors @9pm  on 5/25/2012

There will be fun times for those seeing 1st hand how these tunes are constructed and built from the ground up.
Texturing one instrument or voice into another until the end result being an all out “SONIC BLISS”.