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David Lynn Jones
Born (1950-01-15) January 15, 1950 (age 74) [1]
Origin Bexar, Arkansas, United States [1]
Genres Country
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1987–1994
Labels Mercury, Liberty

David Lynn Jones (born January 15, 1950) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1987 and 1994, Jones released four studio albums. He also charted four singles on Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. His highest charting single, " Bonnie Jean (Little Sister)," peaked at number ten in 1987.

Biography

David Lynn Jones was born January 15, 1950, in Bexar, Arkansas. In the 1970s, he played bass in a local band called Freddy Morrison & the Bandana Blues, and had a minor songwriting success with Randy Cornor's hit "Heart Don't Fail Me Now". [1] By 1986, Jones had also written " Living in the Promiseland", a No. 1 single on the Hot Country Songs charts for Willie Nelson. He also recorded the song's demo and played all but one instrument on it. [1] Nelson also recorded another one of Jones's songs, "When Times Were Good", with Merle Haggard on their 1987 duet album Seashores of Old Mexico. [2]

Mercury Records signed Jones in 1987 and released his debut album Hard Times on Easy Street that year. The album included ten tracks, all written by Jones. Lead single " Bonnie Jean (Little Sister)" charted at No. 10 on Hot Country Songs. Three more singles made the charts: "High Ridin' Heroes" (a duet with Waylon Jennings), "The Rogue", and "Tonight in America". [3] Jones wrote all ten of the songs on the album, including his own rendition of "Living in the Promiseland", and co-produced it with Richie Albright and Mick Ronson. [4]

A second album, Wood, Wind and Stone, followed in 1990. This album featured a more pop music oriented sound than its predecessor. [1] He also recorded two albums for Liberty Records: Mixed Emotions in 1992 and Play by Ear two years later. [1] By the end of the decade, he worked as a writer for Blue Water Music, in addition to running a recording studio in Bexar. [1]

Jones was the victim of a case of identity theft in the early 2000s, which made releasing additional albums difficult for fear that any royalty checks would be stolen by the perpetrators. [5] In 2017 Jones won a $2.1 million judgment against a local bank after the jury found that the bank had sold the master tapes to over 100 of his songs and recording equipment "without permission or cause" at a public auction. [6]

Musical styles and reception

Jones cited Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson as his main musical influences. A 1989 article in Cash Box stated that his first album "told stories of his life on the road, stories about his family, and about learning some of life’s lessons." [7] "Bonnie Jean" was written about Jones's sister, a truck driver, [8] and the single "High Ridin' Heroes" was about a rodeo rider that Jones knew. [7]

Thom Owens of Allmusic wrote that Hard Times on Easy Street "showcases a talent that arrived fully formed. Though Jones doesn't push any musical boundaries, his ear for straight-forwards, rock-inflected rootsy country is impeccable". [9] Cash Box also praised Mixed Emotions, with an uncredited review stating that it "offers a kaleidoscope of meaning in each cut". [10]

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Peak positions
US Country
[11]
Hard Times on Easy Street 28
Wood, Wind and Stone
  • Release date: 1990
  • Label: Mercury Records
 66
Mixed Emotions —
Play by Ear
  • Release date: April 5, 1994
  • Label: Liberty Records
 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year Single Peak positions Album
US Country
[3] 		CAN Country
[12]
1987 " Bonnie Jean (Little Sister)" 10 9 Hard Times on Easy Street
1988 "High Ridin' Heroes" (with Waylon Jennings) 14 12
"The Rogue" 36 66
"Tonight in America" 66 —
1990 "Lonely Town" — [A] — Wood, Wind and Stone
"When Times Were Good" [14] — —
"I Feel a Change Comin' On" [15] — —
1992 "Her Love Don't Lie" [16] — — Mixed Emotions
"Louise" [17] — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year Video
1987 "Bonnie Jean (Little Sister)"
1988 "High Ridin' Heroes" (with Waylon Jennings)
"Tonight in America"
1990 "Lonely Town"
"I Feel a Change Comin On"

Notes

  1. ^ "Lonely Town" did not chart on Hot Country Songs, but peaked at No. 1 on Hot Country Radio Breakouts. [13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Loftus, Johnny. "David Lynn Jones biography". Allmusic. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  2. ^ "A Conversation With David Lynn Jones". Outlaw Magazine. March 19, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 172. ISBN  978-0-89820-203-8.
  4. ^ Hard Times on Easy Street (LP jacket). David Lynn Jones. Mercury Records. 1987. 832 518 1.{{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link)
  5. ^ "David Lynn Jones . . . the real one". Batesville Daily Guard. March 21, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  6. ^ "Musician wins $2 million judgement against local bank". Ozark Radio News. April 4, 2017. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Knight, Kay (October 21, 1989). "David Lynn Jones: The new generation" (PDF). Cash Box: 24.
  8. ^ Fell, Ron (September 11, 1987). "Bio Feedback" (PDF). Gavin Report: 26.
  9. ^ Owens, Thom. "Hard Times on Easy Street review". Allmusic. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  10. ^ "Album review" (PDF). Cash Box: 19. March 28, 1992.
  11. ^ "David Lynn Jones - Top Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  12. ^ "David Lynn Jones - Country Singles". RPM. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  13. ^ "Hot Country Radio Breakouts" (PDF). Billboard. April 21, 1990.
  14. ^ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. June 16, 1990.
  15. ^ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. December 1, 1990.
  16. ^ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. March 14, 1992.
  17. ^ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. May 30, 1992.
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