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Celebrating Life by Singing the Blues
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JJ Bad Boy Jones Information
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For over 70 years, audiences have loved the virtuosity of master blues musician, JJ Bad Boy Jones. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, January 3, 1927, son of Maella Simmons and Jesse Four Tarvel Jones; Esserelaine Jones spent a childhood "hearin a unique sound of music in my head", as he picked cotton. JJ remembers, "writing with the rhythms of the Mississippi, dreaming, an askin, and prayin for the best Sears and Roebucks guitar a boys mama could order from the catalog.” And when that day finally came, he was the happiest little guy in the whole world. Nothing else mattered. When he got his first guitar at the age of five years old, JJ had everything he ever wanted in life.
JJ began driving a 70-foot Auto Car Big Rig when he was 16 years old. JJ drove the “Big Rig” until he was inducted into the Air Force from 1945 to 1956, and went back to driving them again when discharged from the service until 1993 when he retired from a Truckers lifestyle while never once putting down his guitar. This gave him time to compose songs, which he would record later. "Many times I had to stop on the highway, out in nowhere to write down what just came into my head,” he recalls. The blues has always been a passion for him throughout his life. He made his musical debut singing in a Baptist Church quartet when he was 5 years old.
JJ played with his boyhood friend, Chester Burnett, better known as “Howlin’ Wolf,” and musicians such as Finis Tasby, Lowell Fulson, and Tampa Red. JJ, considered by his peers to be a Master Bluesman, shared the stage with other great, late performers Albert King, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Albert Collins, Roy Brown, Mary Wells, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
JJ qualified for SAG membership after his Principal performance in the movie “Ghost World,” March 27, 2000.
JJ’s former brother in law, Albert King, gave JJ his present name in 1985 in honor of his brother, BB King. Under JJ’s guidance, his first cousin, Eddie Jones became “Guitar Slim” in 1952 and had the longest running blues number to ever be Top Ten for 3 years straight entitled, “The Things I Used To Do.”
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For over 70 years, audiences have loved the virtuosity of master blues musician, JJ Bad Boy Jones. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, January 3, 1927, son of Maella Simmons and Jesse Four Tarvel Jones; Esserelaine Jones spent a childhood "hearin a unique sound of music in my head", as he picked cotton. JJ remembers, "writing with the rhythms of the Mississippi, dreaming, an askin, and prayin for the best Sears and Roebucks guitar a boys mama could order from the catalog.” And when that day finally came, he was the happiest little guy in the whole world. Nothing else mattered. When he got his first guitar at the age of five years old, JJ had everything he ever wanted in life.
JJ began driving a 70-foot Auto Car Big Rig when he was 16 years old. JJ drove the “Big Rig” until he was inducted into the Air Force from 1945 to 1956, and went back to driving them again when discharged from the service until 1993 when he retired from a Truckers lifestyle while never once putting down his guitar. This gave him time to compose songs, which he would record later. "Many times I had to stop on the highway out in nowhere to write down what just came into my head,” he recalls. The blues has always been a passion for him throughout his life. He made his musical debut singing in a Baptist Church quartet when he was 5 years old.
JJ played with his boyhood friend, Chester Burnett, better known as “Howlin’ Wolf;” and musicians such as Finis Tasby, Lowell Fulson, and Tampa Red. JJ, considered by his peers to be a Master Bluesman, shared the stage with other great, late performers Albert King, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Albert Collins, Roy Brown, Mary Wells, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
JJ qualified for SAG membership after his Principal performance in the movie “Ghost World,” March 27, 2000.
JJ’s former brother in law, Albert King, gave JJ his present name in 1985 in honor of his brother, BB King. Under JJ’s guidance, his first cousin, Eddie Jones became “Guitar Slim” in 1952 and had the longest running blues number to ever be Top Ten for 3 years straight entitled, “The Things I Used To Do.”
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JJ passed away on his way to a gig Monday, January 9, 2004 six days after his 77th birthday.
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JJ's Bad Boys will begin a national tour, summer 2010
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Contact JJ's Manager, Diem Van Groth @ jjbadboyjones@gmail.com
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