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Pianist Jason Coleman is keeping music in the family. The grandson of the legendary Floyd Cramer, Coleman learned from the best, and he will bring his legacy show, a tribute to his late grandfather, one of the greatest pianists of all time, to Bluefield College, Saturday, November 10 at 7 p.m. in Harman Chapel.

Chris Shoemaker

November 6, 2012

Having played the piano since he was able to reach the keys as a result of the influence of his grandfather, a member of the County Music Hall of Fame, Coleman performed for numerous musicals and choirs at church and in school while still a child before earning a degree in music business at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I was fortunate enough to be born with the genes of a piano legend: my grandfather, Floyd Cramer,” said Coleman. “His impact on my development as a musician can’t be understated.”

A performer for as long as he can remember, including appearances on national television with his grandfather on “Nashville Now” in 1989 and “Music City Tonight” in 1994, Coleman got his first taste of touring as an 18-year-old when he played keyboard for concerts across the country with Dove-nominated contemporary Christian artist Greg Long.

He followed that tour with performances with Hank Locklin at the Grand Ole Opry in 2002 and with Locklin, Jimmy Capps, Maura O'Connell and the Opry Band in a tribute to Floyd Cramer during the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony in 2004.

Later, after producing his first three albums -- “Merry Little Christmas” (2005), “Legacy” (2006) and “Faith” (2007) -- he collaborated with Meagan Taylor on an album titled “Revival.” And in 2009, he released his first live album, “Live at Langdale: The Legacy of Floyd Cramer.”

“It was a thrill to perform and record this in front of a live audience,” said Coleman. “This album really captures the whole concert experience, and I’m glad to offer it as I continue to share my Legacy of Floyd Cramer concerts with audiences around the country.”

With two more albums to add to his concert programs -- “Just Me and My Piano” (2011) and “On the Road Again” (2012) -- Coleman just recently completed his first nationwide tour of more than 70 cities in 25 states. His 2012 tour, which includes a stop at Bluefield College, will showcase his new music and his grandfather’s legendary songs.

“I’m excited to be able to continue sharing these Legacy of Floyd Cramer concerts with audiences across the country,” said Coleman. “It’s so rewarding to hear stories from people in every city I visit about what an impact my Grandad’s music has had on their lives.”

Cramer was unparalleled in his field and is among the most celebrated and most recorded pianists of all time. In 2003, he was posthumously inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. When the piano became an integral part of Nashville arrangements in the early 1960s, he popularized the slip-note technique on dozens of hits by a wide range of artists. He toured widely and recorded often with RCA label mates Chet Atkins, Boots Randolph, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, The Everly Brothers, Brenda Lee, and Roy Orbison.

As part of Bluefield College’s 2012-2013 Fine Arts Series, the Floyd Cramer Legacy Concert featuring Jason Coleman is a Stan Wikle Gospel Music production designed to benefit the Bluefield College Music Department. Admission to the concert is $10 at the door with proceeds going to support BC Music. Attendees are also encouraged to bring a canned food item for admission. The canned goods will be donated to the Bluefield Union Mission.

For more information, call 304-920-0661 or visit the Stan Wikle Gospel Music Promotions web site at www.gospelmusicconcerts.com.

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