New York City-based American guitarist, bassist, singer/songwriter, and bandleader.
Born 19 February 1958, Jon Paris was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA and cut his teeth in a procession of area bands in the 1960’s. In recent years, Paris has branched out into jazz through his long friendship with guitar legend and inventor Les Paul. Paris is best known as a longtime sideman to Johnny Winter in his various trio groups during the 1980’s and 1990’s, but in recent years Paris has launched his own successful solo career. In his time in New York City, Paris has backed a who’s who in the world of blues and blues-rock, including Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, Hubert Sumlin, Elvin Bishop, Phoebe Snow, Percy Sledge, Big Jay McNeely, Bob Dylan, Ron Wood, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, and John Hiatt, and he’s shared the stage with most of his heroes, from B.B. King to Freddie King to Luther Allison to John Mayall. In addition to releases under his own name, Paris can be heard on a slew of recordings by Johnny Winter.