Aaron Jonah Lewis
Musician, Teacher, Artist

aaronjonahlewis.com
aaronjonahlewis@gmail.com

Education

  • Suzuki Teaching Certification, Greater Washington Suzuki Institute, Washington, D.C., 2006
  • BA Human Ecology, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine, 2005
  • Diploma, High Honors with Distinction, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, Michigan, 1999

Teaching Experience

  • Private lessons in fiddle and violin (bluegrass, old time, jazz, improvisation), three-finger, clawhammer and jazz banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass, Bar Harbor, Maine; Richmond, Virginia; Brooklyn, New York; Glasgow, Scotland; Berlin, Germany; Detroit, Michigan, 2001-present
  • Fiddle and Banjo Workshops and Masterclasses throughout the US and abroad, 2008-present
  • Banjo and Fiddle Workshops, Elderly Instruments, Lansing, MI, 2019
  • Banjo Presentation and Workshop, American Banjo Fraternity Fall Rally, Newark, NY, 2019
  • Fiddle Workshop, Southern Maryland Traditional Music & Dance, Chaptico, MD, 2019
  • Banjo Workshop, Fiddle Panel Discussion, Banjo Panel Discussion, Baltimore Old Time Festival, Baltimore, MD, 2019
  • Banjo Clinic, Acoustic Music Works, Pittsburgh, PA, 2019
  • Fiddle Workshop, Lake Erie Folk Festival, Cleveland, OH, 2018
  • Fiddle and Banjo Workshops, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 2018
  • Banjo and Fiddle Workshops, Wheatland Traditional Arts Weekend and Wheatland Music Festival, Remus, MI, 2017-18
  • Humanity in Harmony Master Class, Flint Institute of Music, Flint, MI, 2016
  • Fiddle Workshop, Saint Louis Folk & Roots Festival, St. Louis, MO, 2016
  • Fiddle and Banjo Workshops, University of Chicago Folk Festival, Chicago, IL, 2016
  • Fiddle and Banjo Workshops, Monivaive Summer Old Timey Workshops, Moniaive, Scotland, 2016
  • Fiddle Workshop Weekend, Friends Of American Old Time Music And Dance, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UK, 2014
  • Workshops and Masterclasses in Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Ukraine, with Tumbling Bones, 2014
  • Fiddle Workshop, Torsåker Bluegrass Festival, Torsåker, Sweden, 2014
  • Banjo and Band Workshop, Pijnackerplein Bluegrass Festival, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2014
  • Fiddle Masterclass, Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, Westport, Ireland, 2014
  • Clawhammer Banjo Workshop, Fire In The Mountain Festival, Wales, UK, 2014
  • Workshops and Masterclasses in India with Corn Potato String Band, 2013
  • Banjo Workshops, English Folk Dance and Song Society, London, UK, 2011
  • Fiddle Workshop, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Dance (now known as Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Glasgow, Scotland, 2009
  • Fiddle Workshop, Maverick Music Festival, Suffolk, England, 2008
  • Fiddle Workshop, The Tolbooth, Stirling, Scotland, 2008

Performance Highlights

  • Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Washington, D.C., 2019
  • The Banjo Gathering, Featured Performer, Norfolk, VA, 2018-19
  • American Banjo Fraternity Featured Performer, Newark, NY, 2019
  • Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Solo, 2019, with Corn Potato String Band, 2018, with Detroit Square Dance Society, 2016, Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, 2013, and with Long Branch Ramblers, 2012
  • Home Routes tours in Yukon and Northwest Territories, 2019, and in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 2017, with Corn Potato String Band
  • Wheatland Music Festival, with Corn Potato String Band, 2018
  • Wheatland Traditional Arts Weekend, Remus, Michigan, with Corn Potato String Band, 2017-18
  • The Ark, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Solo, 2019-20, and with Corn Potato String Band, 2015-18
  • Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association Festival (MBOTMA), with Roochie Toochie & the Ragtime Shepherd Kings, 2017
  • Ann Arbor Folk Festival, Ann Arbor, Michigan, with Corn Potato String Band, 2017
  • 25th Annual Appalachian & Bluegrass Music Festival, Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with Corn Potato String Band, 2016
  • Fire in the Mountain Festival, Aberystwyth, Wales, 2014-16
  • Knoxville Stomp: Festival of Lost Music, Knoxville, Tennessee, with Corn Potato String Band and Roochie Toochie & the Ragtime Shepherd Kings, 2016
  • University of Chicago Folk Festival, Chicago, Illinois, with Corn Potato String Band, 2016
  • Karl-May-Fest in Radebeul, Germany, 2015, with Corn Potato String Band
  • U.S. State Department Cultural Diplomacy Tour of Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, and Ukraine, with Tumbling Bones, 2014
  • U.S. State Department Cultural Diplomacy Tour of India, with Corn Potato String Band, 2013
  • Kaustinen Folk Music Festivaalilla (Biggest folk music festival in the Nordic Countries), Kaustinen, Finland, 2013 and 2011, with Froggy Mountain Boys
  • Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, 2013
  • Music City Roots, with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, 2013
  • Karneval der Kulturen, Berlin, with Froggy Mountain Boys, 2012
  • Tour of US and Canada with Thomas Dolby, playing in his band and appearing as support with Ben Belcher, March-April 2012
  • Tour of UK with Thomas Dolby, playing in his band and appearing as support with Ed Hicks, November 2011
  • Rootsway Festival, Parma, Italy 2011 with Thomas Bailey and Joe Troop
  • Heimathafen, Berlin, 2010-2011 with Froggy Mountain Boys, Rathaus Ramblers, Laura Bean, and others
  • Kulturbrauerei, Berlin, 2010-2012 with Thomas Dolby, Old Fish Jazz Band, Rathaus Ramblers
  • Boheme Sauvage in Heimathafen and in Grüner Salon, Berlin, 2010-2011 with Froggy Mountain Boys, Rathaus Ramblers
  • Berlin Philharmonie, Berlin, 2010 with Gypsy Gentlemen
  • Maverick Festival, Suffolk, England, 2010 with Thomas Dolby
  • TED Global, Oxford, England, 2010 with Thomas Dolby
  • Carnegie Hall, Scotland, 2009 with The Hot Seats
  • Acoustic Music Centre, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 2009 with The Hot Seats
  • Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite, Celtic Connections, Scotland, 2009 with The Hot Seats
  • Old Fruitmarket, Scotland, 2009, opening for Allen Toussaint with The Hot Seats
  • Blue Plate Special, Live on WDVX-FM, Knoxville, Tennessee, 2008-2013 with Roochie Toochie & The Ragtime Shepherd Kings, The Hot Seats, Special Ed and the Shortbus, Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line
  • Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 2008 with Special Ed And The Shortbus
  • The National Theater, Richmond, Virginia, 2008, opening for Del McCoury Band with Special Ed and the Shortbus
  • Toad’s Place, Richmond, Virginia, 2007, opening for Sam Bush with Jackass Flats
  • Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, 2007 with Special Ed and the Shortbus

(See complete performance history at aaronjonahlewis.com/calendar.html)

Discography

  • “Estrellas de Radio Vol. 2” by Jake Sanders, 2020
  • “Mozart of the Banjo: The Joe Morley Project” by Aaron Jonah Lewis, 2019
  • “Lovestruck Balladeers” by Lovestruck Balladeers, 2019
  • “Closer to Better” by Ryan Dillaha, 2019
  • “Riding The Rooster” by Evie Ladin, 2018
  • “Digital Foci” by Softgels, 2018
  • “Hear Tell” by George Stephen Kelly, 2018
  • “Estrellas de Radio” by Jacob Sanders, 2018
  • “Songs In The Key Of Sea” by Aral Sea Divers, 2017
  • “French For Something Fancy” by Tim Findlen, 2017 (single)
  • “Friends With Pleasure” by Detroit Pleasure Society, 2017
  • “LIVE, Mostly” by Aaron Jonah Lewis & Ben Belcher, 2017
  • “You Bring Out The Hamster In Me” by Joe Troop & Aaron Jonah Lewis, 2017
  • “Good Job Everybody” by Corn Potato String Band, 2017
  • “What Will We Do Then and So-Called Uninformed” by Escaping Pavement, 2017
  • “Carlsbad Nights” by Nick Woods, 2016
  • “Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet” by Corn Potato String Band, 2016
  • “Singers And Players” by Stefan Saffer, 2015
  • “Corn Potato String Band, Volume Two” by Corn Potato String Band, 2015
  • “Corn Potato String Band” by Corn Potato String Band, 2014
  • “Recordings On Honest-To-Goodness Wax Cylinder” by Roochie Toochie & The Ragtime Shepherd Kings, 2014
  • “Outside Looking In” by The Brain Cloud, 2013
  • “WormWoodEnsemble 5 – String Quartet 2” by Michael Tuttle, 2013
  • “Carnival” by Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, 2013
  • “Galax, NYC” by Square Peg Rounders, 2013
  • “The Slomski Way” by The Slomski Brothers, 2013
  • “You Shouldn’t Know From It” by You Shouldn’t Know From It, 2012
  • “Miles & Gallons” by Max Paul Maria, 2012
  • “Wild Hog” by Aaron Jonah Lewis and Thomas Bailey, Featuring Max Johnson, 2012
  • “Route 77” by The Froggy Mountain Boys, 2012
  • “CaBoume 5” by CaBoume, 2011
  • “Latcho Nash Nash” by Latcho Nash Nash, 2011
  • “Beginner’s Guide to Hoedown” a Cut A Shine Collective Compilation, 2011
  • “Rusty Feeling” by Jackass Flats, 2011
  • “Short Dark Tales” by Dan Fib, 2011
  • “Live At Manouche” by The Froggy Mountain Boys, 2011
  • “Rollin’ In Rhythm” by Rathaus Ramblers, 2011
  • “The Sound Of Now, Vol. 1” Nowkoelln Flowmarkt Compilation, 2011
  • “Taking Razzer To The Tinkers” by Aaron J. Lewis and Ed Hicks, 2011
  • “Detached” by Pineross, 2010
  • “Jonathan Robinson String Trio” by Jonathan Robinson String Trio, 2010
  • “Jumping Through Hoops: Songs of Bravery and Courage” by Kari Groff-Denis, 2009
  • “Phil’s Patio” by Aaron Jonah Lewis and Matt Ball, 2009
  • “The Hobocamp Mud Show” by Furious Frank, Southern Love Records, 2009
  • “Live at Rockwood Music Hall” by David Cieri, 2009
  • “It’s Always August” by Thomas Bailey, 2009
  • “Retreat To Camp Candy Temptation Island” by The Hot Seats, 2009
  • “Greetings from Jackass Flats” by Jackass Flats, 2009
  • “Drip Dryin’ With The Two Man Gentlemen Band” by The Two Man Gentlemen Band, Serious Business Records, 2009
  • “Untitled” by Mammy, 2008
  • “Rats In The Kitchen” by Special Ed and the Shortbus, 2008
  • “Ground Beef Patrol” by Special Ed and the Shortbus, 2007
  • “Special Ed and the Shortbus” by Special Ed and the Shortbus, 2005
  • “Downhill From Here” by Special Ed and the Shortbus, 2005
  • “Sounds of Mount Desert Island” by Aaron Lewis, 2005
  • “Mountain Breakdown” by Aaron Jonah Lewis and Danielle Byrd, 2005

Art Performances, Installations and Exhibitions

  • “Beating/Breaking Shell”, (Composer/Performer) in collaboration with dancer/choreographer Rosalind Masson, Nah Dran at Ada Studio, Berlin, 2012; DanceLive Festival performance at Woodend Barn, Banchory, Scotland, 2009; Work Room residency at Tramway, Glasgow, Scotland, 2009; Movement Research Open Perform performance at Dance Theater Workshop, New York City, 2009; Dance House residency at Trongate, Glasgow, 2009
  • “Life. Love. Pursuit,” (Musician) Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham, North Carolina, choreographed and directed by Rodger Belman, 2009
  • “Sounds of Mount Desert Island,” (Solo Installation), Dorr Natural History Museum, Bar Harbor, Maine, 2005
  • “Human Fireworks,” (Performer, Writer, Director), Bar Harbor, Maine 2005, 2003
  • “Maximum Vision,” (Solo Installation), Dorr Natural History Museum, Bar Harbor, Maine; Bangor Children’s Museum, Bangor, Maine, 2003-present
  • “Talking Piece,” (Performer, Writer, Director), Bar Harbor, Maine, 2002; Richmond, Virginia, 2004

Honors and Awards

  • First Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2018
  • First Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Wilson County Fair, Tennessee, 2017
  • Second Place Bluegrass Banjo, Wilson County Fair, Tennessee, 2017
  • First Place Fiddle, Knoxville Stomp – Festival of Lost Music, Knoxville, Tennessee, 2016
  • First Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Wilson County Fair, Tennessee, 2016
  • First Place Neotraditional Band, Roochie Toochie & The Ragtime Shepherd Kings, Appalachian String Band Festival, Clifftop, West Virginia, 2015
  • First Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Wilson County Fair, Tennessee, 2015
  • Third Place Bluegrass Banjo, Wilson County Fair, Tennessee, 2015
  • Guinness World Record, Largest Mandolin Ensemble (Mando Marshal), Galax, Virginia, 2012
  • Eighth Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2012
  • Fourth Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2011
  • Fifth Place Traditional Band, Appalachian String Band Festival, Clifftop, West Virginia, 2010
  • Fifth Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2010
  • Bank of Scotland Herald Angel Award, Special Ed and the Shortbus, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2008
  • First Place Neotraditional Band Competition, Special Ed and the Shortbus, Appalachian String Band Festival, Clifftop, West Virginia, 2008
  • Sixth Place Bluegrass Fiddle Competition, Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2008
  • Grand Prize, independent Music World Series, Southeast Region, Special Ed and the Shortbus, Nashville, Tennessee, 2007
  • First Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2007
  • Second Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2006
  • Fourth Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2005
  • Second Place Old Time Fiddle, Maury River Fiddlers Convention, Buena Vista, Virginia, 2005
  • Sixth Place Bluegrass Fiddle, Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Virginia, 2003

Television and Radio Appearances

  • WDVX, Knoxville, TN, Blue Plate Special with Roochie Toochie & the Ragtime Shepherd Kings, March 9, 2018
  • WBCM, Bristol, TN, Farm & Fun Time with Roochie Toochie & the Ragtime Shepherd Kings, March 8, 2018
  • Grassland Jam, Pioneer Public TV, S4 Ep11 Live at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association Festival (MBOTMA), with Roochie Toochie & the Ragtime Shepherd Kings, August 12, 2017
  • WDIV, Detroit’s Channel 4 (NBC), Detroit, with Detroit Pleasure Society, August 27, 2015
  • Fox-2 News, Detroit, with Detroit Pleasure Society, August 27, 2015
  • RTE-1, Dublin, Ireland, “Arena,” hosted by Seán Rocks, with Corn Potato String Band, June 25, 2014
  • Resonance FM, London, England, “Sound Out,” hosted by Carole Finer, with Corn Potato String Band Duo, May 28, 2014
  • RTE-1, Dublin, Ireland, “Country Time,” hosted by Sandy Harsch, with Tumbling Bones, April 19, 2014
  • Dublin South FM, Dublin, Ireland, with Tumbling Bones, April 9, 2014
  • East Coast FM, Co. Wicklow, Ireland, with Tumbling Bones, April 9, 2014
  • Near FM, Dublin, Ireland, with Tumbling Bones, April 8, 2014
  • ARTxFM, Louisville, KY, with Corn Potato String Band, January 16, 2014
  • 99.1 Friends FM, Kolkata, India, with Corn Potato String Band, August 29, 2013
  • WUMB, Boston, MA, with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, July 18, 2013
  • Finnish National Radio with The Froggy Mountain Boys, July 12-13 (Kaustinen Festival), 2013
  • KDHX, St. Louis, MO, with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, June 27, 2013
  • (TV and radio) Music City Roots, Nashville, TN, with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, June 12, 2013
  • WERS, Boston, MA, with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, April 22, 2013
  • WAMU, Washington, D.C., with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, April 16, 2013
  • WDVX, Knoxville, TN, Blue Plate Special with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, March 8, 2013
  • (TV) Cable 9 Community Television: The Music Preserve at Cuyahoga National Park, Ohio, with Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, Febraury 9, 2013
  • WDET, Detroit, MI, with Ben Belcher, April 4, 2012
  • WXPK, White Plains, NY, with Thomas Dolby, March 31, 2012
  • WXPN, Philadelphia, PA, World Cafe Live with Thomas Dolby, March 23, 2012
  • Resonance FM, London, UK, “Sound Out,” hosted by Carole Finer, Solo, October 1, 2010
  • WDVX, Knoxville, TN, “Blue Plate Special,” with The Hot Seats, Special Ed and the Shortbus, June 20, 2009 and December 17, 2008

Film Credits