Jon Ryan Schaffer (born March 15, 1968 in Franklin, Indiana) is a heavy metal guitarist and songwriter. He is the founder and only remaining original member of the heavy metal band Iced Earth.
At the age of 14 Jon got his first guitar and began writing music. At the age of 16 he dropped out of Northrop High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana and moved out of his parents' home to Tampa, Florida, in order to start up a band and play music. In 1985 Schaffer founded the power/thrash metal band Purgatory, which quickly changed its name to become Iced Earth. He is now the only remaining member of the first line-up, and the band's main songwriter. Jon has suffered from neck injuries, some of which resulted in surgery, that still plague him today. In 2005 Jon and his wife, Wendi, became parents with the birth of their first daughter.
He is also brother-in-law of Iced Earth singer Matt Barlow, as Matt is married to Jon's sister.
Schaffer has also recorded and toured with Demons & Wizards, his side project with Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kürsch.
Schaffer also sings lead on the Iced Earth songs "Stormrider" from Night of the Stormrider and on "God of Thunder", a cover of the KISS song, on Tribute to the Gods. Live, he also sings back-up vocals, especially on "Desert Rain" where sings the verses along with Barlow in a call-and-answer style.
