Blues Guitarist Johnny Jones Dies at 73
- Posted on Oct 19th 2009 11:30AM by John D. Luerssen
- Comments
Blues guitarist Johnny Jones -- a Nashville legend and an early mentor of Jimi Hendrix -- died last Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the age of 73. The notorious guitar slinger was found dead in his Nashville apartment by exterminators. An autopsy is pending. Called "a vital piece of Nashville's R&B history" by the Nashville Scene, Jones was featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame's 2004 "Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, 1945-1970" exhibit in 2004, and through that project's Grammy-winning CD compilation and its sequel, Jones' 1960s recordings with famed Nashville producer Ted Jarrett were discovered by a new audience of blues enthusiasts.
Jarrett discovered Jones playing in a Clarksville house band backing female impersonators and elevated him to the role of sideman for Nashville R&B favorites Gene Allison and Earl Gaines. "He had enough insight to see my potential," Jones told the Scene in March. "I'm a blues man, had a blues foundation. But Nashville was country, jazz and gospel, and Ted was behind all the local stuff. During this process, man, Ted taught me how to read music and showed me all this other music. Most blues artists my age don't have that kind of background."
Jones first encountered Hendrix after the future guitar giant was discharged from the army, working Nashville R&B clubs after his release from Fort Campbell in Clarksville, Tenn. Jones and Hendrix once faced off in a legendary guitar duel at the city's Club Baron in the early 1960s. Jones replaced Hendrix -- who eventually moved to New York -- in the King Casuals combo, which also counted Hendrix's future Band of Gypsys bassist, Billy Cox. He also appeared alongside Jimi on the regional TV music series 'Night Train,' where Jones played in the House Band.
Rounding out the decade, Jones performed with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown on the Nashville-produced R&B music TV show 'The Beat' and toured with soul-blues giant Bobby "Blue" Bland. By the 1970s, he had grown tired of the financial struggle in being a musician and retired until the late '90s. Jones returned to performing, supporting local R&B singers and ultimately releasing his first solo album, I Was Raised on the Blues' in 1999. In the past decade he continued to release acclaimed discs like 'Blues Is in the House' and kept an active performance schedule.
Madonna Super Bowl Halftime Show: Romans, Cheerleaders and MIA's Middle Finger
Super Bowl Halftime Bloopers: 10 Huge Mistakes on the Big Stage
Randy Travis Apologizes for Public Intoxication
Puddle of Mudd Singer Arrested in January for Drug Possession
WATCH: 2012 Super Bowl Commercials
Cee Lo's Super Bowl Strip Club Outing: Singer Reportedly Drops $10K
Josh Powell's Last Words: 'I Am Not Able To Go On Anymore': Report
M.I.A., Fiance Benjamin Bronfman Split, Singer Rarely Sees Son -- Report
The Best Colleges For The Socially Awkward Student
Miranda Lambert's Dog Dies
1 Can Of Paint, 25 Different Ways
Miranda Lambert Makes Emotional Return to On Fire Tour
WATCH: Gisele Curses Drops By Patriots Receivers
Adele Won't Last, Is 'Too Fat,' According to Noel Gallagher and Karl Lagerfeld
The Worst Super Bowl Commercials Of 2012
Boys Blown Up By Dad Allegedly Talked About Mom's Disappearance
PHOTOS: Rihanna Shows Off Everything In Sheer Top
Dead Man Found In Foreclosed Home Four Years Later
Laura Linney's Colorful Frocks
Watching A Bullfight In Style
Blast Kills Missing Woman's Husband, 2 Sons (PHOTOS)
Celebrities Tweet The Super Bowl
PHOTOS: Gisele Comforts Tom Brady
PHOTOS: Madonna Vogues In Givenchy
Powell Boys Suffered 'Chop Injuries' Before Explosion
WATCH: Father Of Missing Alaska Barista Increases Reward
WATCH: The Super Bowl Ads You Can't Watch In Canada
Prop 8, California's Same-Sex Marriage Ban, Declared Unconstitutional
Passenger Sues Costa Over Miscarriage
VOTE: The Best Super Bowl Ad
Debra Messing Gets A Big Surprise
9 Comments