For this week’s Local Music Monday, WUKY’s DeBraun Thomas features a veteran who has become a jack of all trades.
Jason Parsons grew up in Ashland and started playing piano at a young age. Parsons moved to Lexington in 1999 and played around town in several different groups before joining Fifth on the Floor in 2010. Parsons has played many different instruments in various bands but he says his role in Fifth on the Floor was something very new to him.
“What’s been really interesting about Fifth on the Floor for me is enjoying the transition to bass and writing on bass, I’ve never written on bass; I really like that a whole bunch because I’m not a real great lead player on guitar and bass is a real cool middle ground between rhythm guitar and kinda lead, there’s melody ya know.”
Parsons lends his multi-instrumental talents to the band on bass and piano in addition to singing and songwriting. Fifth on the floor tours fairly regularly and Parsons admits that sometimes touring can be difficult, but he says the experiences he’s had are well worth it.
“We had a couple days off in Maine on this last tour and we went over to Acadia National Park, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen and you know, I don’t make the kinda money [laughs] where I can just go take a vacation to Maine you know, so that’s one of the best things about touring for me is you know I can basically work my way around the country and you know in this case other countries and see things I might never see.”
Jason Parsons performs with Fifth on the Floor. More information about Parsons and the band can be found at fifthonthefloor.com.
