Ellis Mandolins : Artists : Jordan Ramsey

Jordan Ramsey is an award-winning mandolinist and teacher residing in the Front Range area of Colorado. A native of Tennessee, he attended the Bluegrass and Country Music Program at East Tennessee State University and played with the school’s premiere bluegrass ensemble from ’05 until ’07. As a part of the ETSU “Pride Band” (led by former Jim and Jesse banjo player Raymond McLain), he had the opportunity the share the stage with stars like Porter Wagoner, Ralph Stanley, Curley Seckler, Tater Tate, Alison Krauss, Dan Tyminski, and Adam Steffey.

A lifelong student of the mandolin, Jordan has studied with mandolin masters David Grisman, Andy Statman, Evan Marshall, and Jack Tottle. Contest highlights include: 2016 National Mandolin Champion, 2008 RockyGrass Mandolin Champion, five time top-five finalist in the National Mandolin Championship in Winfield, KS ('11 through '15). Performance highlights include: Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, RockyGrass, Northwest String Summit, Lancaster Music Festival (UK), Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, and Colorado Music Festival Orchestra.

Jordan plays an Ellis F5 Special that he won for winning the National Mandolin Championship in 2016.

Links:

Ragged Union

www.raggedunionbluegrass.com

Espresso

www.espressoswing.com

Jordan receiving his Ellis F5 Special #380 at Winfield

Jordan on owning an Ellis

The sound

"This mandolin is one of the "clearest" mandolins I've ever played. There's a purity of sound that is not present in any of the other mandolins I have owned or played. It truly is a special instrument."

Memorable experiences

"The evening that I won it, I was back at the campsite still processing the day and incredible achievement (that took me seven tries to win, making the cut five consecutive times without placing in the years leading up to the win), and I witnessed the sound open up and change within just a few hours of playing it.

The mandolin was brand new, probably had less than an hour of play time on it at that point, and while I was sitting by the fire playing it obsessively for hours, it just started to come alive in my hands."