Jason Richardson

Jason Richardson is an American heavy metal guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and teacher from Virginia. Known for a highly original, deeply technical style on seven and eight string guitars, he began establishing his reputation when he joined All Shall Perish while in high school. The son of a musician, he took piano lessons in the fourth grade. While he could emulate what his teacher was doing on the keys, he couldn't learn to read music at the time. In fifth grade, he experimented with violin and drums, with the kit serving as his main instrument. He wanted to learn guitar so he could write songs. His father gave him a gothic black Gibson Les Paul at the age of 12 and he practiced endlessly. He became obsessed with Dream Theater (particularly the song "This Dying Soul") and resorted to cutting lawns and doing odd jobs so he could purchase a seven-string instrument. He bought his first at 14 and began developing his inventive technique while in the band Gallows Hill alongside future Veil of Maya bassist Danny Hauser.