Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Jane Jones.
Hi Laura Jane, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started out very young as a creative child; I was singing, telling stories, writing poetry, and playing instruments. I was a kid living inside the world of my imagination most of the time. My imagination and creativity turned to a passion and at seven years old, I had decided I was going to be a singer. That passion led to doing theatre and performing my whole childhood, going to the Boston Conservatory of Music, and then graduating from the University of the Arts with a degree in theatre and music. I worked a little doing regional theater and touring Europe in a production of Hair. After returning to the States, I did Beehive in Detroit at the Gem Theatre. I saved a little bit of money and then drove cross country to California with one of my girlfriends…
When I got to LA I got a record deal right away, I was working, I got an agent, and things seemed to be flowing. Hard times came when I got dropped from the label and got into a car accident. I then needed money and started doing background singing gigs. I was on the Tonight Show singing with Aaliyah the following week, then Monica, and then things started to happen. Those years were tough though!
Since then, I have toured and recorded with some of the biggest names in the business, including people like Enrique Iglesias, Aerosmith, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Fantastic Negrito, Vintage Trouble, Katharine McPhee, Dave Matthews Band, Teena Marie, 50 cents, Yolanda Adams and Carrie Underwood and many many more. I have been on almost every single music-related television show you can think of including the Oscars, The Grammy’s, The Latin Grammy’s, American Music Awards, the MTV Music Awards, The Billboard Music Awards, American Idol, and the Voice, and many, many more. I have sung on several movie and television soundtracks such as Bad Boys for Life, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Letters to Juliet, Sex and the City 2, The Get Down, American Housewife, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and many more.
I am a singer-songwriter; I have released three albums independently, To My Planet Boo, Everything Changes, and Weep Willow.
I also run my own company called the Laura Jane International Vocal Studio, which started out with just vocal coaching, mentoring, and artist development and now has branched into music contracting, music producing, vocal producing, vocal arranging, chart writing, and hiring PR teams.
I recently co-produced and co-created the King Cole Legacy Experience, a tribute to Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole. I also wrote a one-woman play about Angela Davis called Angela….. Herstory of a Revolutionary, which I am currently looking for funding for. I have some other projects in the works, but they may be a year or so down the pipeline.
I want to live in my purpose, taking my art and making a difference.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey is never smooth…
The biggest struggle is that this business is competitive. It is not for the weak. It is not for everybody, the self-doubt and anxiety can be really real and overwhelm you at times.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think right now that I am most proud of is that recently, or fairly recently, someone I greatly respect (not going to say who) who works with two icons in music (not gonna say who) called me recently for a gig. Unfortunately, I could not do the gig. But she said to me you know what? You know what I love about you is that you don’t sit around for the phone to ring, you produce your own projects. You have no idea how much that meant to me to hear from this person in particular. That made so proud that people do see my efforts to produce art and be creative, not just looking for the next gig.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I have lots of advice for people starting out…
1) STUDY YOUR CRAFT
2) BE AWESOME EVERY TIME you are in a work situation
3) have integrity and ethics
People don’t want to work with shitty ass people who lie, steal and cheat…
4) Remember this is a community, and the community starts right then when you walk in the door
5) Share
6) Don’t let fear lead you
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurajanemusic.net
- Instagram: @miss_janejonez
- Facebook: @mizzlaurajane
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-jones-b436b18/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/sweetlaurajane1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDa_4GwWIygiO1iGg3GLM6A
Image Credits
Mike Quain of Mike Quain Photography Michael Hart of Hart Photography Kim McClean of Mclean Design
