Native Virginian Jon Eric has been delighting audiences with his banjo picking since he was a child. Eastern Iowan audiences have been the lucky recipient of his music for the past six years, since he relocated to Iowa City. His roots are in bluegrass, but his banjo and vocal work to-date includes an infusion of all styles: R&B, funk, rock, pop, folk and progressive bluegrass.

“Music for me is always a fantastic learning experience,” says Jon. “After moving to Iowa, I have infused an Iowa Black Dirt ‘organic and gritty’ sound into the clean, solid, bluegrass picking I did while down south, while striving for a liquid mercury-like fluidity in every note I sing or play. It is fun-filled too, cause ya just can’t put a finger on it!”

Eric has been writing, recording, producing, arranging and performing original material of several genres since he was young. He has more than moving boxes full of material that has yet to be released, because in this business, timing is everything. He has recorded in studios all over Virginia, Washington, D.C, Maryland, New York City, Nashville, Paris, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Kentucky and Iowa.

But it’s the live playing and traveling that keeps him running.

“I have been playing quite a few festivals nationally during the summer months, and filling the in-between dates with venues of anysize for those that love the banjo or my singing. With over 43,000 miles put on my little truck since August of last year, I travel extensively to take this ‘banjo revolution’ to the people.”

And his journey has been fascinating.

“The Grand Ole Opry (also known as the Ryman Auditorium) was played at when I was 9 years old – as well as the Nashville War Memorial opening for the Earnest Tubb Band – with the Nashville Brass as my ‘back up’ band. Playing at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, IA was such a treat! Favorites also include: People’s on Court (Des Moines, IA), The Redstone Room (Davenport, IA), Red Rocks Amphitheater (CO), WolfTrap (Vienna, VA), Harmony Park (Geneva, MN), these places have allowed for me to feel right at home on those stages and the people were SO stellar!”

“The older I get, the more I truly Appreciate the honor of being able to do this for a living full time and to serve with the music I play’” says Jon. “This could be for fundraisers, and for communities in need. In these economic times many feel they can NOT afford the shows I perform, or CDs I produce. So finding ‘creative’ ways of burning copies or providing FREE concerts, my goal is to altruistically ‘serve’ with each and every note I play or sing.”

– Pete Looney, Hoopla

LISTEN UP

• WHO: Jon Eric
• WHAT: Bluegrass, rock, funk, folk, R&B
• WHEN & WHERE: Friday at the Future History Festival in Wadena; July 26 thru 28 at Jerry’s Jam Music Festival at Hidden Acres Music Farm in Laurens; July 28 and 29 at Plunderfest, at Harmony Park in Geneva, Minn.
• MORE: Facebook or www.reverbnation.com/joneric or http://jonericmusic.com