Time tested and rarely rested, Ryan Jones is armed with a fiddle and some flair.
Currently the fiddle player for the LoCash Cowboys, Ryan was trained as a classical violinist at the age of three. His transition to the country fiddle style at the age of 16 prepared him for the country music scene. Nothing, however, could have prepared him for the rigors of 250 days a year on the road.
Ryan earned his first break only 4 months after moving to Nashville filling in for Brian McComas, Wade Hayes, & Jeff Carson but it wasn't until he got hooked up with the LoCash Cowboys that his career started to take off. Ryan has played with LoCash for the better part of their existence, starting in the Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville late in 2005 before becoming their full-time fiddle player in early 2006. The union has been a positive one with the blend of country of rock fitting Ryan’s wide-open style. A willingness to take chances – musically speaking – has created a new sound in country music, one that isn’t complete without the unique sound of Ryan’s fiddle filling the room.
A native of Exeter, Pennsylvania, and a student of music since the age of three, Ryan is proficient on the violin/fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and unbeknownst to many, the trumpet. He graduated from Wyoming Area High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). While at RIT, he was the first student to earn a minor in Music and was selected to play with the RIT Polished Brass Quintet, a highly-respected group that plays anything from jazz, to swing, to classical.
It was at Wyoming Area High School where Ryan made the transition to the fiddle, a decision that would impact his life in ways that at the time were unimaginable. While working on a senior project, Ryan had the opportunity to play alongside the revered Charlie Daniels at the Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, an opportunity that helped shape his professional life as much as the decision to switch from the violin to the fiddle. Ryan played twin fiddles with the legendary musician on “The South’s Gonna Do It Again.” Including that defining moment, Ryan has played alongside Daniels on seven occasions, the largest venue being the New York State Fair in 2003.
The ironic part of Ryan’s musical past is that one would not expect a classically trained musician to have such fashion and flair on stage. For Ryan, it is not uncommon to see him twirling his bow, tossing it in the air, singing along while playing, and sprinting across stage or jumping off speakers – often times to the theatrical chagrin of the lead singers. His passion for music is evidenced by his playing and performing, which often times are not the same entity.
The stages and crowds have grown for the boy from Pennsylvania with the fiddle and flair since moving to Music City in 2004. Ryan has toured with the LoCash Cowboys since 2005 and appeared in the media spotlight several times. Playing fiddle and mandolin for LoCash has landed Ryan on CMT, VH1, MTV, Pay-per-View and most recently FOX News Network live from New York City on New Year’s Eve.
The Big Apple behind him, Ryan is focused on 2009, a year with 200 dates already on the schedule, 200 more chances to play and perform – as only he can.
Ryan Jones is endorsed by L.R. Baggs & Hercules Stands and uses the following gear while on tour:
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