JASON COLEMAN

CRYSTAL FALLS — Nashville pianist Jason Coleman is in the spotlight at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at Crystal Theatre in Crystal Falls with a tribute titled “Last Date: The Floyd Cramer Story.”

The grandson of piano legend Floyd Cramer, made famous for the Nashville sound of the ’50s and ’60s, brings new life to timeless music and memories of days gone by.

For Coleman, the connections between music and memories, piano and family are inseparable.

The musical set for the performance features favorites like “Last Date,” “On the Rebound,” “San Antonio Rose,” “Tennessee Waltz,” and “Georgia on My Mind.”

Coleman also incorporates multimedia to share personal stories, photos and films, culminating in a series of video duets between grandfather and grandson that bridge the generations.

From a young age, it was evident Coleman had inherited his grandfather’s distinctive piano style, as it managed to slip its way into his early piano lessons. In addition to sharing the piano bench with his “grandad” at home, Coleman grew up performing with Cramer at his concerts and on national television. Although he was only 12 when Cramer died in 1997, their close relationship formed the foundation upon which he has built his own career in music.

Coleman made his Grand Ole Opry debut at 17, and two years later played for the Medallion Ceremony recognizing his grandfather’s induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Coleman has spent his career in the studio and on stage, producing his own collection of piano albums and touring coast to coast in concerts taking his grandfather’s signature piano style to new audiences.

The Jason Coleman Show, his online piano concert series, has generated millions of views since its inception during the early days of the pandemic and has garnered a growing and loyal family of fans and followers.

“I’m not a flashy piano player. I just try to let the melody of the song shine through, and that lets the listeners fill in the words in their own heads and hearts,” Coleman said. “I like to think of my music as sort of a bridge to help connect us today with memories and loved ones from years past.”

Tickets can be purchased individually or as part of a four-event “Gem of a Season” flex pass. Tickets can be ordered at thecyrstaltheatre.org, by calling 906-875-3208, or from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday at Stage Left.