Ruby Jane - with WIllie Nelson and family/band
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RUBY JANE'S NEW CD, "CREEKSIDE" NOW IN AUSTIN! AVAILABLE AT WATERLOO RECORDS AND ZINGER HARDWARE!!!!!
RECIPIENT OF THE DANIEL PEARL MEMORIAL VIOLIN
"Ruby Jane is the next big news in country music"- Bob Schieffer, CBS Evening News
"(Ruby Jane's) the young chanteuse with the mega-watt grin"- Carmen Sisson, The Science Christian Monitor
"Ruby Jane is a natural-born fiddler with a great future ahead of her." - Jimbo Mathus
"She can melt a rock." - Marty Stuart
"Enormously talented… Best bow arm I have EVER seen." - Jesse McReynolds
"A bluegrass legend in the making." - Johnnie Stringer
"Unbelievable 10-year-old musical prodigy and nonstop performer" - Jim Brock
"Phenomenal talent" - Rhonda Vincent
"Not only is she one of the finest musicians around but a real darling." - Carl Jackson
Named "ARTIST TO WATCH" - Jackson Free Press, 2005
Born 13 years ago, in Dallas, TX, Ruby Jane is one of the world's premiere junior fiddlers and a fast-rising star in country and bluegrass-Americana music. With deep familial and cultural ties throughout the Southwest and Southeast, she resides in Texas and Mississippi with her mama, when not traveling as a musician, actress, or model.
Ruby Jane exhibited a strong connection to music as early as age one and began classical violin instruction at age two. At age eight, she was introduced to the sounds of Americana music in Santa Fe, NM, leading to a complete devotion to old-time and bluegrass music. Subsequently, she began old-time fiddle lessons, which included the study of its unique bowing techniques, archaic tunings, and depth of expression. After only six fiddle lessons, she won first place in the first fiddle competition she entered, beginning a run of victories and increasing notoriety that continues today.
She was granted an apprenticeship by the Mississippi Arts Commission at age eight to apprentice with Charles T. Smith, one of the last great Mississippi old-time fiddlers. For the past three years, she has competed in dozens of prestigious music competitions and performed with many bluegrass greats, including Marty Stuart, Rhonda Vincent ("The Queen of Bluegrass"), Mike Snider, Jesse McReynolds, Jim Brock, James Monroe, Carl Jackson and many others.
In 2005, at age ten, Ruby Jane acted in her second film, contributed an original song to a film soundtrack, performed as the youngest invited fiddler in the history of the Grand Ole Opry, played at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop three times, and won the National Beginners Fiddle Championship (which ranked her first nationally under twelve). She was also a subject of artist James Patterson's state-commissioned, permanent photography exhibit at Mississippi's Jackson International Airport; her image hangs alongside Eudora Welty and Marty Stuart. Also in 2005, she won Second Place on the mandolin in the National Beginner Country Musician Competition, performed and modeled clothes for Project Alabama in New York's fall fashion week, and won a second consecutive First Place in her category at the TN Valley Fiddle Convention in Athens, AL. At the 2005 International Bluegrass Music Association convention, she participated in the "Kids on Bluegrass 2005" program with Molly and Skip Cherryholmes, Paige Anderson, Ryan Holladay, Molly Tuttle and others.
Ruby Jane is featured in a documentary about her legendary fiddle instructor Jim Brock. She also contributed to the film's soundtrack. In October 2005 she won First Place in her category and then won the Fiddle-Off at the Mississippi State Fair Southern Championship Fiddle Contest, establishing her as the Mississippi State Fiddle Champion of 2005 for all age groups. She was the youngest state champion in the competition's history.
The next year media outlets and programs including the CBS Evening News, American Airlines In-Flight "Eye on America" News, Christian Science Monitor, W magazine, British Vogue, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and award-winning publications in Russia and Australia have featured stories about Ruby Jane. Selections from her eponymous first full-length album are played on bluegrass radio in the United States, Canada, and the Australian Radio Network. Also in 2006, she won a prestigious American String Teachers Association Alternative Styles Award.
Ruby Jane listens to all kinds of music, from jazz and rock to classical and blues, while growing in her own musical expression. She writes her own original songs and plays several instruments including mandolin, harmonica, guitar, and spoons. She also is learning to play bass, banjo, and dobro. A consummate performer, when asked what to identify a single highlight of 2006, she mentioned playing on stage with Marty Stuart at "Marty's Late Night Jam at the Ryman."
2007 has been a whirlwind for Ruby Jane. Beginning with accepting the ASTA Award in Alternative String Style in Detroit to performing at CMA Music Fest with Big & Rich in Nashville (which aired on ABC and continues to air on GAC), receiving the great honor in being awarded the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin by Mark O'Connor (Strings Conference) and moving to Austin. Austin has been very welcoming of Ruby Jane and she has sat in with Texas greats like Johnny Gimble, Dale Watson, Jim Stringer, Erik Hokannan, Asleep at the Wheel and Bob Schneider. And the year just keeps getting better. Ruby Jane established her own publishing company, Random Chocolate Tamale Music, and recorded a 6 song EP, “Creeksideâ€. “Creekside†features two original songs, two classic fiddle tunes, a swingy jazz tune, and a Johnny Cash cover. These showcase not only her talent as a great fiddler but her deep, bluesy voice and immense maturity. Ruby Jane’s talent as a multi-instrumentalist is heard on the EP as well. Produced by Steve Fishell, it foreshadows a long and exciting career steeped in the love of American music.
