Booker T. Jones

Biography

Booker Taliaferro Jones Jr. (born November 12, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. & the M.G.'s. He has also worked as a session musician with many well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
With the death of guitarist Steve Cropper on December 3, 2025, Jones is the last surviving original member of Booker T. & the M.G.’s.

Background

Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on November 12, 1944. He was named after his father, Booker T. Jones Sr., who was named in honor of Booker T. Washington, the educator. Jones Sr. was a science teacher at Memphis High School, providing the family with a relatively stable, lower middle-class lifestyle.

Jones was musically a child prodigy, playing the oboe, saxophone, trombone, double bass, and piano at school and organ at church. Jones attended Booker T. Washington High School, the alma mater of Rufus Thomas, and collaborated with future stars like Isaac Hayes's writing partner David Porter, saxophonist Andrew Love of the Memphis Horns, soul singer/songwriter William Bell, and Earth, Wind & Fire's singer/songwriter Maurice White.

1960s

Jones's entry into professional music came at the age of 16, when he played baritone saxophone on Satellite (soon to be Stax) Records' first hit, "Cause I Love You", by Carla and Rufus Thomas. Willie Mitchell hired Jones for his band, in which Jones started on sax and later moved to bass. It was here that he met Al Jackson Jr., whom he brought to Stax. Simultaneously, Jones formed a combo with Maurice White and David Porter, in which he played guitar.
While hanging around the Satellite Record Shop run by Estelle Axton, co-owner of Satellite Records with her brother Jim Stewart, Jones met record clerk Steve Cropper, who would become one of the MGs when the group formed in 1962. Besides Jones on organ and Cropper on guitar, Booker T. and the MGs featured Lewie Steinberg on bass guitar (eventually replaced by Donald "Duck" Dunn), and Al Jackson Jr. on drums. While still in high school, Jones co-wrote the group's classic instrumental "Green Onions", which was a massive hit in 1962.
Bob Altshuler wrote the sleeve notes on the first Booker T. & the M.G.'s album Green Onions released by Stax Records in 1962:

[His] musical talents became apparent at a very early age. By the time he entered high school, Booker was already a semi-professional, and quickly recognized as the most talented musician in his school. He was appointed director of the school band for four years, and in addition, organized the school dance orchestra which played for proms throughout the Mid-South. In the classroom, he concentrated on the studies of music theory and harmony. ... Booker's multiple activities earned him a coveted honour, that of being listed in the students' "Who's Who of American High Schools." Booker's first instrument was the string bass, but he soon switched to the organ. Booker came to the attention of record executive Jim Stewart in Memphis, and while still in high school he worked as a staff musician for Stax Records, appearing as sideman on many recording dates for that label. It became obvious that one day Booker would be ready to record under his own name and several months later Booker's first recording session was set.
Over the next few years, Jones divided his time between studying classical music composition, composing and transposition at Indiana University, playing with the MGs on the weekends back in Memphis, serving as a session musician with other Stax acts, and writing songs that became widely regarded as classics. He wrote, with Eddie Floyd, "I've Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)", Otis Redding's "I Love You More Than Words Can Say", and, with William Bell, bluesman Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign" (later popularized by the British rock group Cream).

1970s

In 1970, Jones moved to California and stopped playing sessions for Stax after becoming frustrated with Stax's treatment of the MGs as employees rather than musicians. Even though Jones was given the title of Vice President at Stax before leaving, as he put it, "There were titles given (to us) but we didn't actually make the decisions." While still under contract to Stax, he appeared on Stephen Stills's eponymous album (1970). The 1971 album Melting Pot would be the last Booker T. & the M.G.'s album issued on Stax.
He produced Bill Withers's 1971 debut album Just as I Am (on which Jones played guitar as well as keyboards), Rita Coolidge's album Love Me Again (1978) and Willie Nelson's album Stardust (1978). Jones has also added his keyboard playing to artists ranging from the R&B/pop/blues of Ray Charles to the folk rock/country rock of Neil Young.

The Best of You

Jones released his Best of You album in 1980. It was his third solo release. It contained the songs, " You Got Me Spinnin'", "The Best Of You×The Best of You5 September 1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1You Got Me Spinnin'4:02A2The Best of You5:18A3Cookie3:51A4Pride and Joy4:43B1Down to the Wire5:27B2Stand4:33B3We Could Stay Together4:54B4Will You Be the One3:32", "Cookie", " Pride and Joy", " Down To the Wire", "Stand", " We Could Stay Together", and "Will You Be the One". It was given a positive review in the 3 May issue of Record World. It had another review by Record World on the 17th of that month. The reviewer wrote that with the instrumental hits that Booker T. & The MGs had in the 1960s, who would have thought he possessed such a wonderful singing voice? And the advice to the reader was to discover this exceptional talent.
The song "The Best of You" was backed with "Let's Go Dancin'" and released as a single on A&M 2234-S in June 1980. It was a Record World Single Pick for the week of 21 June. The reviewer wrote that Jones was in rare form with the song and his voice was shimmering alongside the prominent guitar. The strong crossover potential of the song was also noted.
"We Could Stay Together" which featured Jones and Rita Coolridge was backed with "The Best of You" and released as a single in Australia on A&M K-8030 in September. It was a chart hit there, peaking at No. 60. The song would later appear in re-mix form on the VA album, Hot Classics, Issue 6 that was released on Hot Tracks – HC-6 in 1987.
A single, "You Got Me Spinning" bw "The Best of You" was released in New Zealand on A&M K 8946 in 1982. It was a hit there, spending a week in the chart, peaking at No. 44.
Another single, "Cookie" bw "Will You Be the One" was released on A&M 2279-S in October. It was one of the Billboard Top Single Picks for the week of 18 October. It also had a positive review in the 25 October issue of Record World.

Further activities

Jones released the single, "I Want You×I Want You22 September 1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Power in Your Love4:08A2I Want You4:36A3Treasure Chest3:56A4Don't Stop Your Love3:47B1Electric Lady4:24B2Prize Possession5:07B3You're the Best3:08B4I Came to Love You4:05" bw "You're the Best". Credited to Booker T., it was released on A&M 2374-S in September 1981. He made the charts that year with the song. It debuted at No. 65 in the Record World Black Oriented Singles chart for the week of 7 November.

1990s–2020s

In 2009 he released a new solo album, Potato Hole×Potato Hole3 April 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Pound It Out4:182She Breaks4:223Hey Ya3:534Native New Yorker3:475Nan2:086Warped Sister4:477Get Behind the Mule4:108Reunion time3:499Potato Hole6:5010Space City5:38, recorded with the Drive-By Truckers, and featuring Neil Young. He performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival with Drive-By Truckers on June 6, 2009, with a set including most tracks from Potato Hole as well as some Truckers tracks. On January 31, 2010, Potato Hole won the Best Instrumental Album award at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
He is featured on the Rancid album Let the Dominoes Fall (2009), playing a Hammond B-3 on the track "Up to No Good".
Jones also played his B-3 on the track "If It Wasn't For Bad" from the Elton John and Leon Russell 2010 collaboration album titled The Union. The track was nominated at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
In 2011, Jones released The Road from Memphis. The backing band included Questlove (drums), "Captain" Kirk Douglas (guitar) and Owen Biddle (bass) from the Roots as well as former Motown guitarist Dennis Coffey and percussionist Stewart Killen. The album features vocals by Yim Yames, Matt Berninger, Lou Reed, Sharon Jones and Booker T. himself, as well as lyrics contributed by his daughter/manager Liv Jones. Jones also recorded with party band the Gypsy Queens on their eponymous album.
On February 12, 2012, The Road from Memphis won at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Album. Jones holds a total of four Grammy Awards.
Jones received an honorary doctorate degree from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music at its 2012 undergraduate commencement. Jones originally attended Indiana University in the 1960s, even staying after his smash-hit Stax Records recordings.
Jones was featured on organ for singer Kelly Hogan on Hogan's 2013 release on Anti-Records, I Like to Keep Myself in Pain.

In June 2013, Jones released his 10th album, Sound The Alarm×Sound the Alarm9 August 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Sound the Alarm3:512All Over the Place3:293Fun2:534Broken Heart3:205Feel Good3:246Gently3:097Austin City Blues5:138Can't Wait3:37966 Impala3:5510Watch You Sleeping3:5611Your Love Is No Love4:5512Father Son Blues5:50, on Stax Records after originally leaving the label more than 40 years previously in 1971. The album features guest artists Anthony Hamilton, Raphael Saadiq, Jay James, Mayer Hawthorne, Estelle, Vintage Trouble, Gary Clark Jr., Luke James, and Booker's son Ted Jones. That summer, he performed at the TD Kitchener Blues Festival in Ontario.
On September 1, 2017, Jones performed live at the Royal Albert Hall BBC Proms with Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra in a tribute concert honoring the 50th anniversary of Stax Records alongside Steve Cropper, Sam Moore, William Bell and British artists Beverley Knight, Ruby Turner, James Morrison and Tom Jones.

Personal life

Jones was married to Priscilla Coolidge in 1969, sister of singer Rita Coolidge. He produced Priscilla's first album Gypsy Queen in 1970; then the pair collaborated as a duo on three albums: 1971's Booker T. & Priscilla×Booker T. & Priscilla1971 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks · 2 discsDisc 1A1The Wedding Song9:26A2She4:06A3The Indian Song5:39A4Sea Gull1:15B1For Priscilla5:18B2The Delta Song9:48B3Why5:18B4Mississippi Voodoo2:06Disc 2C1Cool Black Dream3:06C2Sweet Child You're Not Alone3:02C3He2:58C4Sister Babe4:43C5Earth Children3:32C6Water Brothers3:29D1Medley From The Jones Ranch4:43D2Funny Honey4:12D3California Girl3:56D4The Sun Don't Shine3:19D5Ole Man Trouble4:12, 1972's Home Grown, and 1973's Chronicles, and Jones produced Priscilla's final solo album, Flying, in 1979, right as their marriage ended that year.

Legacy

On March 1, 1995, Booker T. & the MGs won their first Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the song "Cruisin'". Jones still plays with the MGs and his own small combo called the Booker T. Jones Band. His current touring group includes Vernon "Ice" Black (guitar), Darian Gray (drums), and Melvin Brannon (bass).
Jones was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and was honored with a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement on February 11, 2007.
In 2007, Jones was also inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
On October 29, 2019, his memoir Time Is Tight: My Life, Note by Note was released. The memoir was mentioned on NPR's Fresh Air on October 25, 2019.

Solo discography

Evergreen (1974)
Try and Love Again (1978)
The Best of You (1980)
I Want You (1981)
Runaway (1989)
Potato Hole (2009)
The Road from Memphis (2011)
Sound the Alarm (2013)
Note by Note (2019)

Collaborations

with Carlos Santana

Havana Moon (1983)
With Priscilla Coolidge

Booker T. & Priscilla (1971)
Home Grown (1972)
Chronicles (1973)
With Otis Redding

Pain in My Heart (1964)
The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads (1965)
Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965)
The Soul Album (1966)
Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul (1966)
King & Queen (1967)
The Dock of the Bay (1968)
With Sheryl Crow

Home for Christmas (2008)
With Eddie Floyd

Knock on Wood (1967)
With Willie Nelson

Stardust (1978)
Pretty Paper (1979)
Without a Song (1983)
Island in the Sea (1987)
With Levon Helm

Levon Helm & the RCO All-Stars (1977)
With Soul Asylum

Grave Dancers Union (1992)
With Taylor Dayne

Soul Dancing (1993)
With Albert King

Born Under a Bad Sign (1967)
With Rosanne Cash

Seven Year Ache (1981)
With Rod Stewart

A Night on the Town (1976)
With William Bell

The Soul of a Bell (1967)
With LeAnn Rimes

Today Is Christmas (2015)
With Mickey Thomas

As Long as You Love Me (1977)
With Rita Coolidge

Rita Coolidge (1971)
The Lady's Not for Sale (1972)
Fall into Spring (1974)
It's Only Love (1975)
Anytime...Anywhere (1977)
Love Me Again (1978)
Satisfied (1979)
With Bill Withers

Just as I Am (1971)
With Natalie Cole

Good to Be Back (1989)
With Linda Ronstadt

Feels Like Home (1995)
With Richie Havens

The End of the Beginning (1976)
With John Lee Hooker

Mr. Lucky (1991)
Chill Out (1995)
With Elton John and Leon Russell

The Union (2010)
With Neil Young

Are You Passionate? (2002)
With Shawn Colvin

Fat City (1992)
With Boz Scaggs

Some Change (1994)
With Rodney Crowell

Rodney Crowell (1981)
Street Language (1986)
Life Is Messy (1992)
With Steve Perry

Traces "No More Cryin" (2018)
With Hozier

Wasteland, Baby! (2019)
With Matt Berninger

Serpentine Prison (2020)

Current lineup

Booker T. Jones – keyboards
Ted Jones – guitar
Melvin Brannon Jr. a.k.a. M-Cat Spoony – bass
Darian Gray – drums