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UPCOMING DATeS |
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| Jan 9 | Madison CT |
| Jan 10 | New York, NY |
| Jan 23 | Nashville, TN |
| Feb 5 | Geneva NY |
| Feb 6 | Wellsville NY |
| Feb 7 | Livingston NJ |
| Feb 13 | St. Croix, WI |
| Mar 26 | Marblehead, MA |
| Mar 27 | Middletown, RI |
bios / band
Jason Thomas
Mandolin, Fiddle & Vocals
Jason Thomas is an award winning multi-instrumentalist, playing a wide range of musical styles primarily on fiddle and mandolin. He was born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, and started on mandolin at the age of eight, learning from his dad, Bob Thomas, and playing bluegrass and gospel music with his family band in southern Ontario.
Jason began studying violin at age twelve, having private violin lessons for just one year, and then he continued to study a variety of fiddle styles, largely self-taught. During high school, he also picked up guitar, banjo, bass, and viola, as well as starting his own band. He won a few contests, including winning the Canadian Open Mandolin Championship, and twice winning the Florida State Championship on both fiddle and mandolin. He studied violin and Music Education at Evangel College in Springfield, MO.
Since college, Jason has been a full-time professional musician, having toured extensively across the country and overseas. He has made his home in Central Florida since 1984, where he has primarily made his living playing in many bands at the major attractions and hotels in the area. He enjoys the wide variety of music he has had the chance to play, from bluegrass to blues, Celtic to country, gypsy jazz to folk/Americana, Cajun to Western Swing.
Always the "team player," he strives to provide tasteful and supportive back-up and solos, which has enabled him to work with some incredibly talented singers and bands. He does frequent studio work in Orlando, and has been featured on many recordings and on national television. He was a featured fiddler on Mark Johnson's Clawgrass album, along with Tony Rice and the Rice Brothers. He was featured on a cut on Ben Winship's and David Thompson's "Fishing Music" CD project, along with David Grier, Matt Flinner, and Rob Ickes.
Jason is excited to have recently joined Grammy nominated artist Claire Lynch in the Claire Lynch Band, along with award winning musicians Jim Hurst and Mark Schatz. Jason has been seen sitting in with many other notable musicians such as Vassar Clements, Sam Bush, Tim O'Brien, Byron Berline, Aubrey Haynie, Open Road, Mitch Corbin, and The Growling Old Men, among others.
Jason can be seen gigging with several other bands - check these out: Kane's River: www.kanesriver.com, VTW: www.gatorbone.com and click on VTW, Off Kilter: www.offkilter.net, Showdown: www.showdownorlando.com, Under The Radar: www.undertheradar-band.com, The Scott Anderson Band: www.scottandersonmusic.com , Catahoula Blue: www.bethmckee.com, The Porchdogs: www.theporchdogs.com, The Rodeo Rhythm Kings: www.rodeorhythmkings.com, Dave Durham & the Bull Durham Band, Gypsy Wind: www.gypsywindband.com, US1, Handpicked, Rusty Cutlass, Stevedores, The Notorious Banjo Brothers.
When he's not playing, Jason loves spending time with his family - his wife, Beth and their son Jacob (3 years old). He also loves to dabble in graphic arts, learning from his wife Beth, who is a multiple award winning designer, having designed CD covers for Dan Tyminski, The Lonesome River Band, Ricky Simpkins, and more. Jason won a design award himself in 2003 from Graphic Design USA magazine for his design of the CD cover of the Kane's River project, Same River Twice. Jason can also be seen here and there teaching fiddle or mandolin at some of the music camps around the country. In his non-existent spare time, Jason can be found tinkering with fiddles or remodeling his recently purchased 1920's Craftsman home in the quaint downtown historic district of Winter Garden, Florida. Jason proudly endorses Elixir Strings and Fishman Transducers.
Find out more information about Jason by visiting www.MySpace.com/jasonthomasfiddle.
Also check out other members of the Claire Lynch Band...
Jim Hurst :: Mark Schatz :: Jason Thomas
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