Jack Jones

Biography

John Allan Jones (January 14, 1938 – October 23, 2024) was an American singer and actor. He was primarily a straight-pop singer (even when he recorded contemporary material) whose forays into jazz were mostly of the big-band/swing music variety. He won two Grammy Awards and received five additional nominations. Notably, he sang the opening theme song for the television series The Love Boat.
Jones continued to perform concerts around the world and in Las Vegas. His most popular recordings include "Lollipops and Roses×Lollipops And Roses1962 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1This Was My LoveA2There Will Never Be Another YouA3Lollipops and RosesA4Moonlight Becomes YouA5They Didn't Believe MeB1Love LettersB2You Stepped Out of a DreamB3My RomanceB4The Girl Next DoorB5Julie", "Call Me Irresponsible", "Wives and Lovers×Wives and Lovers1963 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Wives and Lovers2:31A2Toys in the Attic2:54A3Song About Love2:28A4I'm Moody2:45A5Angel Eyes2:56A6Fly Me to the Moon3:00B1Charade3:16B2I Wish You Love4:06B3Nina Never Knew3:07B4Summertime Promises2:38B5I See Your Face Before Me3:16B6Come Rain or Come Shine2:53", "The Race Is On", "A Day in the Life of a Fool", and "The Impossible Dream×The Impossible Dream1966 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1The Impossible Dream2:21A2The Shadow of Your Smile2:34A3I Will Wait for You2:32A4Then Was Then and Now Is Now2:46A5All or Nothing at All2:55A6Feeling Good3:10B1Alfie2:35B2Strangers in the Night2:29B3What Now My Love2:33B4This Is All I Ask3:24B5My Best Girl2:25B6You Better Go Now2:31". He also sang the opening theme for the 1968 war film Anzio ("This World Is Yours") as well as the title song for the 1963 film Love with the Proper Stranger, which played on a radio in the film contributing to the storyline.

1938–1960: Early years and Capitol Records

Jack Jones was born in Hollywood, California, the morning after his father, Allan, recorded his signature song "The Donkey Serenade", for RCA Victor, resulting in the younger Jones' assertion that he was "practically born in a trunk." Jack attended University High School in West Los Angeles and studied drama and singing. His mother was actress Irene Hervey.
Jack Jones' first professional break was with his father, who was performing at the Thunderbird Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Jack recorded several demos for songwriter Don Raye, attracting attention from the music industry. In 1959, he was signed to Capitol Records and released the album This Love of Mine×This Love of Mine1959 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1This Love of MineA2This Could Be the Start of Something BigA3Angel EyesA4Show Me the Way to Get Out of This WorldA5Careless HandsB1ImpossibleB2To Whom It May ConcernB3Where Can I Go Without You?B4SuddenlyB5Come on Baby, Let's Go and a few singles. The album was a flop, and the label dropped him soon after.

1961–1967: Years at Kapp

While performing at a San Francisco nightclub, Jack Jones was heard by Pete King, a producer and artist for Kapp Records, who quickly signed him to the label. In August 1961, Jones recorded the ballad "Lollipops and Roses×Lollipops And Roses1962 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1This Was My LoveA2There Will Never Be Another YouA3Lollipops and RosesA4Moonlight Becomes YouA5They Didn't Believe MeB1Love LettersB2You Stepped Out of a DreamB3My RomanceB4The Girl Next DoorB5Julie" written by Tony Velona, which became his first hit the next year. His biggest pop hit was "Wives and Lovers×Wives and Lovers1963 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Wives and Lovers2:31A2Toys in the Attic2:54A3Song About Love2:28A4I'm Moody2:45A5Angel Eyes2:56A6Fly Me to the Moon3:00B1Charade3:16B2I Wish You Love4:06B3Nina Never Knew3:07B4Summertime Promises2:38B5I See Your Face Before Me3:16B6Come Rain or Come Shine2:53" in 1963, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Both recordings earned him Grammy Awards for Best Vocal Performance, Male. The album Wives and Lovers was successfully released while the title track was still on the singles charts.
Kapp arranged for Jones to work with arranger Billy May for the LP Shall We Dance in 1961. Around this time, he recorded several albums like I've Got a Lot of Living to Do! and This Was My Love, but none of them reached the charts. Academy Award-winning "Call Me Irresponsible" became the title track for Jones' 1963 album Call Me Irresponsible. Where Love Has Gone and Bewitched followed their respective singles' success, both of which were taken from the movies. Dear Heart was released the next year and became his best charting album, nearly reaching the top-10 on the Billboard Top LPs. My Kind of Town, The Impossible Dream were roughly in the same style, the latter actually breaking into the top-10. For the "In" Crowd (in the title track providing vocal lyrics to Ramsey Lewis's earlier famous jazz instrumental version of 1965) was Jones' attempt at reaching the modern market via recording popular songs of the time. His next albums Jack Jones Sings×Jack Jones Sings1966 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1A Day in the Life of a Fool2:20A2Autumn Leaves3:19A3Somewhere There's Someone2:16A4Watch What Happens2:43A5People Will Say We're in Love1:49A6Love After Midnight2:40B1Somewhere My Love2:20B2The Shining Sea3:16B3The Face I Love1:49B4Street of Dreams2:31B5The Snows of Yesteryear2:49B6I Don't Care Much2:24 and Lady received a positive critical reception.
Besides the choice of material, he worked with arrangers and conductors like Billy May, Nelson Riddle, Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers, Jack Elliott, Ralph Carmichael, Bob Florence, and Don Costa.
His final studio album for Kapp was Our Song×Our SongAlbum · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Our Song2:562Michelle3:473After Today1:564Don't Give Your Love Away2:425More And More2:136When I Look In Your Eyes2:357Now I Know2:518Oh How Much I Love You3:409As Time Goes By (Album Version)2:2710The True Picture2:5311'Cause I Got So Much Lovin' In Me2:2612Along The Way2:04, released shortly after the title track reached the pop charts. The label would continue issuing Jones' material in multiple compilation albums, such as Curtain Time×Curtain TimeAlbum · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1People Will Say We're In Love1:522I See Your Face Before Me3:183Luck Be A Lady2:334Embraceable You3:365I Love Paris2:156I've Grown Accustomed To Her3:337People2:238Shall We Dance?2:069It Never Entered My Mind2:3610A Lot Of Livin' To Do2:3611Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye2:56 and What the World Needs Now Is Love!, the latter of which saw commercial success. During the years Jones was with Kapp, he recorded nearly twenty albums for them.

1967–1980: Years at RCA Victor and MGM

Jones moved from Kapp (London Records in the United Kingdom) to RCA Victor in late 1967. His first album for the label was Without Her×Without Her1968 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Without Her2:052The Look of Love2:223Don’t Talk to Me2:434You & The Night & The Music2:105I Can’t Get Started2:446Homeward Bound2:417Live for Life2:438Hushed Whispers2:579Isn’t It Romantic?2:5310Mean to Me3:0311For All We Know2:53. The releases If You Ever Leave Me, Where Is Love?, and L.A. Break Down which followed, were in roughly the same style of the Kapp records, but with a somewhat more contemporary vocal styling. Jones would switch from recording standards, with the only notable exception being "Old Man River" in 1968. A Time for Us (1969) was one of the albums that marked his transition toward a more middle-of-the-road sound. He began recording more contemporary material including covers of such well-known songwriters as Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, Carole King, Paul Williams, Richard Carpenter, Gordon Lightfoot, and Gilbert O'Sullivan.

The album Bread Winners×Bread Winners1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1A1. Make It With You2A2. Baby I'm A-Want You3A3. Coming Apart4A4. If5A5. Daughter6B1. Games Of Magic7B2. Everything I Own8B3. Diary9B4. It Don't Matter To Me10B5. Come Again (1972) was a tribute to the band Bread, with eight songs written by David Gates and two by Jimmy Griffin and Robb Royer. Two more albums from this period were dedicated to two French songwriters: Jack Jones Sings Michel Legrand×Jack Jones Sings Michel Legrand1971 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Windmills of Your Mind4:212Pieces of Dreams3:073The Years of My Youth3:334What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life3:425One Day3:326One at a Time3:487Blue, Green, Grey and Gone4:268I Will Say Goodbye2:159Nobody Knows2:5010Sweet Gingerbread Man2:42 (to Michel Legrand, 1971) and Write Me a Love Song, Charlie, featuring songs by Charles Aznavour (1974).
The Full Life (1977) was produced by Jones and Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys; on the album, Jones recorded the Beach Boys classics "God Only Knows" and "Disney Girls". His last LP for RCA was With One More Look at You (1977), which includes a rendition of the Little Feat hit "Dixie Chicken"; this performance later resurfaced on Golden Throats 2: More Celebrity Rock Oddities. In 1979 he moved to MGM Records, recording the album Nobody Does It Better, which featured a disco version of "The Love Boat", the opening theme from The Love Boat, and his Grammy winner "Wives and Lovers×Wives and Lovers1963 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Wives and Lovers2:31A2Toys in the Attic2:54A3Song About Love2:28A4I'm Moody2:45A5Angel Eyes2:56A6Fly Me to the Moon3:00B1Charade3:16B2I Wish You Love4:06B3Nina Never Knew3:07B4Summertime Promises2:38B5I See Your Face Before Me3:16B6Come Rain or Come Shine2:53". His second (and due to MGM's closure, his last) MGM album, Don't Stop Now×Don't Stop Now1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1This Is It4:12A2Love Comes for You3:03A3Déjà vu5:00A4I Could Have Told You So2:41A5Here to Love You4:10B1Don't Wish Too Hard5:00B2Don't Stop Now3:05B3That's Good Enough for Now3:30B4Love Is a Game2:58B5I've Been Here All the Time, features duets with singer Maureen McGovern

1981–2018: Later years

After 1980 Jones recorded few albums and performed in various concert arenas and occasionally appeared on the supper-club circuit. He released the album Live at the London Palladium in 1995, recorded in London on the Emporio label. He received recognition in Japan, where many of his earlier records were released on CD. In 1982 he recorded an album for Applause Records, covering songs by the Beatles, Billy Joel, and the Eagles.
Jones released I Am a Singer in 1987 for USA Records, and in 1992 he recorded The Gershwin Album for Sony Music, with songs written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. In 1997 came New Jack Swing (Honest Entertainment), with big-band treatments of old standards and assorted pop/rock songs. 1998 saw the release of Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett (Honest Entertainment), which was nominated for Grammy Awards for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance and Record of the Year.
In March 2008, Jones celebrated his 70th birthday and a half century in show business with a concert at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, California. Guests included Patti Austin, Alan Bergman, and Marilyn Bergman. In 2010 he recorded an album focusing on the Bergmans' work called Love Makes the Changes. He also released an album featuring new recordings of some of his original hits, titled Love Ballad. In 2015 Jones released Seriously Frank: Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Frank Sinatra, with an orchestra arranged and conducted by Patrick Williams, with Dave Grusin on piano. The release was followed by a tour with dates in Los Angeles and the United Kingdom in 2016. Jones commenced his 80th Birthday Celebration Tour in 2018.

Film, television, and theater

Jones made his film debut in Juke Box Rhythm (1959) playing Riff Manton, a young singer who is involved romantically with a princess (Jo Morrow). He sings three songs in the film. He acted in films such as The Comeback (1978), a gory British horror movie directed by Pete Walker along with the tele-film Condominium (1980), and Cruise of the Gods (2002). He had a humorous cameo in the film parody Airplane II: The Sequel (1982); as Robert Hays' character avoids searchlights while escaping captivity, the beams become a spotlight on Jones, performing a verse from his Love Boat TV theme song.
He became a staple on 1960s and 1970s variety shows performing on The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Andy Williams Show, The Dick Cavett Show, The Hollywood Palace, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Carol Burnett Show, The Jerry Lewis Show, American Bandstand, This is Tom Jones, The Dean Martin Show, The Judy Garland Show, Playboy After Dark, The Jack Benny Program, The Steve Allen Show, and The Morecambe and Wise Show in the United Kingdom.
Jones twice hosted NBC's top-rated rock and roll music series Hullabaloo (1965-1966), and was featured in two prime-time specials, Jack Jones on the Move (1966) and The Jack Jones Special (1974). He appeared on the Password TV game show with Carol Lynley in 1964 and multiple times with Joan Fontaine in 1967. He provided the vocals to the theme song of Funny Face, "The Kind of Girl She Is". When the show returned renamed as The Sandy Duncan Show, he was replaced by an anonymous chorus. He also guest-starred in a cavalcade of television series of the era, such as The Rat Patrol, Police Woman, McMillan & Wife, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, $weepstake$; a game show, Match Game, and the sitcom Night Court.
Jones played himself in the episode "The Vegas Show" of It's a Living. He sang the opening theme for the television series The Love Boat (1977–1985), and appeared in a 1980 episode with his father Allan.
Jack Jones promoted the Chrysler New Yorker automobile in the mid-1970s with the "It's the Talk of the Town" ad campaign. On October 30, 1972, he appeared as a guest singer at the London Palladium in the United Kingdom in front of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Between 1973 and 1978, Jones hosted The Jack Jones Show, directed by Stanley Dorfman, produced and broadcast by the British Broadcasting Corporation's BBC-2 network. In 1990, Jones recorded "Three Coins in the Fountain", which was used in the remake version film Coins in the Fountain that year. He also appeared in the Chris Elliott television show Get a Life on the Fox television network. Beginning in the 21st century, Jones was active in musical theater, appearing in Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, and others. During that time he went on a national tour performing Don Quixote in the production Man of La Mancha.
In 2013, Jones appeared as himself as the nightclub singer in the film American Hustle. In 2014, he sang several of the songs, including the theme song, for the cable TV Cartoon Network miniseries Over the Garden Wall.

Artistry

Jones was an anomaly in the 1960s pop scene, eschewing rock-and-roll trends and opting for a big band sound, romantic ballads, and the Great American Songbook style of music. However, sometimes he recorded something more pop, country, or bossa nova-oriented. For example, one of his biggest hits was "The Race Is On" by country musician George Jones (no relation). Gene Lees of Stereo Review commented that "he is the only singer I've heard who can take Sinatra material, sing for the meaning of the words as Sinatra does, and
end up sounding not even remotely like Sinatra." Henry Pleasants of the same publication believed that "purely as a vocalist, [Jones] is in a class by himself."

Personal life and death

Jones was married six times. In the second half of the 1960s, he had a well-publicized relationship with actress Jill St. John, and they were briefly married. Jones said demands on his singing career and the traveling involved contributed to the breakup. In the early 1970s, Jones married Gretchen Roberts. Later, he was linked romantically to Susan George. From 1977 to 1982, he was married to Kathy Simmons. From 1982 to 2005, he was married to British-born Kim Ely and they had a daughter, Nicole (born in 1991). Jones had another daughter, Crystal Thomas, from a former marriage to Lee Fuller. He lived with wife Eleonora in Indian Wells, southeast of Palm Springs, California.
Jones died from leukemia at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, on October 23, 2024, at the age of 86.

Honors

In 1989, Jones received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2003, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to Jones.