JJ APPLETON & JASON RICCIBLUES ROOTS AND BEYOND

Jason Ricci born in Portland Maine USA is an award winning and decorated american singer and harmonica player.In1995Ricci moved to Memphis Tennessee to be near and informally study with Johnny Winter sideman, harmonica player and singer Pat Ramsey.Ramsey would become Jason’s mentor on and off stage and a surrogate father for many years until hisdeath. Also in 1995, a 21 year old Jason would win the Sonny Boy Blues Society Contestin Helena Arkansas,Michael Burkstook third place in that same contest. By 22Ricci was living in Potts Camp Mississippi with Junior Kimbrough’s oldest son David Malone Kimbrough. David took the young man in and fed and clothed him offering him the comforts of country life, blues music and better living, temporarily rescuing the

young man from dangerous hard drugs and temptations of the bigger city of Memphis.Every Sunday for over a year Ricci played Juke Joints and small clubs in Oxford,Senatobia and Holly Springs MS withDavid Kimbrough, RL Burnside and JuniorKimbrough. His pay was usually a half pint of corn liquor, thirty five dollars and a dimebag of marijuana but the love and mentorship of the Kimbrough family was priceless.Ricci would cut his first record in 1995 “Jason Ricci” (self Titled) for Blues Music AwardWinnerBilly Gibson’slabelNorth Magnolia MusicfeaturingEarlHookersdrummerBobby Littleand other prominent Memphis musicians. A year later forthe same label Jason recorded his second release “Down at the Juke” withKent “Kinny”Kimbrough, Eric Deaton, Enrico Crivellaroand many more notable musicians. Ricciwould return home to Maine a few times and perform with his friend of the same age,the now legendary guitarist and singerNick Curran.By1997troubles with drugs and alcohol would result in Ricci spending a year in jail inFlorida.After his release in1998, while working two day jobs, Jason went on to enterand win theMars Music National Harmonica Contestbeating out hundreds of otherharmonica players. After spending three years in Florida playing withKeith Brown, MarkTelscaand local South Florida blues hero“Famous” Frank WardJason would join NewOrleans’s national touring outfitBig Al and The Heavy Weights. With Big Al Ricci wouldtour the country, playing clubs and big festivals and appear on national television for thefirst time with two appearances onThe Emeril Legassishow.In2002Ricci started his own nationally touring band “New Blood“. New Blood toured300 days a year all over North America and Europe for 10 years straight.In2004Jasonricci came out as gay/bisexual or “queer” as he prefers to be called and causedcontroversery and attention, some negative at the time for Jason and his career butserved as a milestone for theLGBTQ Communityin the Blues Music world and beyond.After a few independent CD’s, in2006New Blood would ultimately sign withRandyChortkoff’snow famed record labelDelta Groovereleasing two records“Rocket NumberNine”and “Done with the Devil” the later of which would be nominated for a2010BluesMusic Awardfor“Best Blues Rock Album”.