April
2, 2013 (Willis, VA) — Mountain Fever Records releases the new single
“Bootleg John” to radio today from the as-yet-to-be-titled new solo
project from sideman and Junior Sisk banjo player, Jason Davis. Guests
on this new album and the core rhythm section include Kevin McKinnon on guitar and mandolin, Kameron Keller on bass, and Justen Haynes and Ron Stewart who split the fiddle work. Some of Davis’ favorite singers in bluegrass are also featured including Greg Luck, Shawn Lane, Steve Gulley, Junior Sisk, Jason and Justin Tomlin, Dwight McCall, Daniel Salyer and Eli Johnston.
“I
basically went in with the idea of cutting the kind of bluegrass album
and feel that I enjoy playing,” Davis said. “It’s been 6 years or so
since I cut my last record. It just felt like the time to do another
one. I was lucky to get some great new songs from great writers like
Daniel Salyer and Kyle Burnette. There’s also a lot of really obscure
stuff on here that people probably haven’t heard in a long time,” he
adds.
Jason is embraced as a talented cultivator of the banjo by fans and other musicians. Former IBMA Dobro Player of the year, Phil Leadbetter,
says “I’ve had the opportunity to play with many great banjo players in
my career, but Jason Davis takes a backseat to no-one. His timing,
tone, taste and drive is what all banjo players hope to achieve, but not
many ever do.”
Davis
began playing banjo around age 10. He was inspired when his uncle
Thomas Davis began taking him to local bluegrass festivals. He got his
first gig at age 14 with Michelle Nixon and Drive. Three years and two records later, he joined the Kenny and Amanda Smith Band, where he helped record the Grammy-nominated album, “Tell Someone.” Next came a stint with BlueRidge, then a three-year tour with Alan Bibey as a founding member of GrassTowne, where he cut two records.
In
2008, Jason recorded a solo album, “Steppin Out,” which became a
finalist for the IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year. Jason lists Flatt
& Scruggs, JD Crowe, Terry Baucom, Sammy Shelor and Tom Adams as his
biggest influences. He is now touring with Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice.
