Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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JONES, Jack

(b 14 Jan. '38, LA) Singer. Mother was actress Irene Hervey; father Allan Jones (b 14 Oct. '07, Scranton PA; d 27 June '92 NY) was popular light classical singer '30s; had acting/singing role in Marx Bros films A Night At The Opera '35, A Day At The Races '37; biggest hit with operetta The Firefly '37 (with Jeanette MacDonald; see Nelson Eddy); sang Rudolf Friml's 'Donkey Serenade'. Jack's mainstream Sinatra-style was surprisingly successful in the '60s, when the whole world had gone rock-mad, perhaps due to very good choice of material as well as his engaging style and pleasant light baritone. He had 20 Hot 100 entries '62--8 (on Kapp until late '67, then on RCA); first was 'Lollipops And Roses' and he also had success with 'Call Me Irresponsible' (by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, featured in Jackie Gleason film Papa's Delicate Condition and won an Oscar '63). Few singles reached the top 40; the biggest were 'Wives And Lovers' '63 and 'The Race Is On' '65, both top 15. Of 17 LPs reaching Billboard's Top 200 albums chart the biggest hits were Dear Heart and The Impossible Dream '65--6; RCA LPs incl. If You Ever Leave Me, Where Is Love?, A Time For Us '68--9. He remained popular in clubs after record sales slowed. CDs incl. Gershwin Album on Columbia Legacy; New Jack Swing (studio big-band set) and Music Of The Light (live with quintet at the London Palladium) were both made in England '90s on Honest, Jones's singing as honest as ever.