Colonel Clinton Ross Davis does Jelly Roll Morton

When asked what he’d play for First Sunday Concerts he said, “Personally I’d love to do a program of early jazz and ragtime. I’ve worked up a lot of Jelly Roll Morton music on piano and guitar, as well as music from guitarists like Johnny St. Cyr and composers like Scott Joplin. Some of the Jelly Roll Morton tunes I play were composed while he lived and worked in Tijuana/San Diego in the early 20th century, so there’s a lot of fun history to share with that music.”

A fifth-generation Kentuckian, Clinton Davis grew up in rural Carroll County. His repertoire spans fiddle and banjo music native to his family home, the exuberant ragtime piano and guitar of early 20th-century New Orleans and ballad songs and dance music of the Southwest. Davis’ prowess across instruments and traditional American styles has gained notice from the standard-bearers of previous generations and earned him a place amongst a new generation of American folk musicians. He has worked closely with roots guitar legends Jim Kweskin and Stefan Grossman, and is an official artist for Deering Banjos. In 2022, Davis received the commission of Kentucky Colonel in recognition of his work as a performer and educator. The Colonelcy is the highest civilian honor bestowed by the commonwealth of Kentucky.

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