The Jason Boone Band, from Mississippi, brings to you their second recording project, "I Hear Mississippi Calling"...Jason Boone along with Don Robinson, Johnny Rawls, Lee Ely, Jeff Boone, and special guest, Tim Hathorn, have eight original tunes along with six tunes you should be familiar with....From Johnny's "Thoughts So Dear to Me", to Don's original hot banjo instrumental "Bent Creek", to Jason's rendition of "Georgia Bound", all supported with strong mandolin, fiddle, and dobro playing, really shows what this band can do...They have only been together for 3 years, and being one of the strongest bluegrass bands of the south, they'll be around for many years to come...So kick back, buckle up, and take a bluegrass ride with The Jason Boone Band..."disclaimer"..., Not responsible for speeding tickets!!
Tim Crouch,2-time National Fiddle Champion & Grand Ole Opry Staff Fiddler
Made up of five musicians with over 100 years of combined musical experience, The Jason Boone Band is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Southeast bluegrass music scene. Formed in the fall of 2004, this group has evolved from the imaginations of two of the members, Jason Boone and Don Robinson to a well-oiled machine of strong vocals, hard-driving picking, super-charged stage performances, quality recordings, and creative songwriting!
Jason Boone, the namesake of the band sings the high vocals and does the guitar work. His experience includes stints with Steel Blue, a group he helped form as a teenager, a short time with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and most recently the Larry Wallace Band. Jason does the majority of the lead vocals with his soaring tenor voice and also handles the bookings for the group.
Don Robinson plays the banjo, finger-picks guitar, sings a great deal of the lead vocals, and does the emcee for the JBB. His down-home style puts audiences at ease quickly while on stage. Don’s musical roots run deep. He’s played piano and sang for gospel quartets, played in country bands, and church music work. He’s played with such groups as Sweet Dixie, The Crain Brothers, Harold, Ovaline & Up the Creek, Lickety Split, and Common Ground. Don has also written a lot of the group’s recorded material.
Johnny Rawls, a multi-talented musician and songwriter, plays the acoustic upright bass for the band. Johnny’s dry wit is always a hit with the fans. He always has some words of “wisdom” for the crowd and his timing on bass is impeccable. Johnny is also an accomplished clawhammer banjoist and is featured on every show. “Cap’n Clawhammer” has worked with many outstanding bluegrass, old-time and country musicians including the Grammy-winning Carl Jackson, who he collaborates with a couple times yearly.
Lee Ely joined the group on mandolin in the fall of 2005. Haling from the Mississippi Delta, Lee’s first training was on the Blues and is an accomplished Blues guitarist. He has certainly worked hard on the mandolin and provides the backbeat and tasteful solos for the group. Lee also sings the third harmony part for the JBB. A gentleman in every sense of the word as well as a fine singer, watch for Lee to step forward and sing a lead vocal in the future!
Jeff Boone, the newest member of the JBB, hales from Angie, Louisiana. Jeff’s fiddling has definitely added a new dimension to the band’s overall sound. He knows that great bluegrass fiddlers know when and what to play and more importantly when not to! Jeff comes to the group after a stint in Nashville, Tennessee where he played with many great pickers and singers including Bradley Walker, Jimmy Bowen, and Goldwing Express.
The Jason Boone Band, although named after just one of the members is truly a group of five guys who function as a group. Their repertoire moves seamlessly from traditional bluegrass with a contemporary slant to country ballads to old-time material and then to heart-lifting gospel songs. They are truly a group on the rise! So watch out for ‘em!
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