Today we’d like to introduce you to Dennis Jones.
Dennis, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in the small town of Monkton, Maryland, population 4,856. My family didn’t have much money, but we always had what we needed. Monkton was a great place for a kid to grow up. The area is known for its horse farms, sprawling countryside, and old, stately homes set back from the country roads. It’s beautiful.
Some weekends, my family would go to my grandparents’ place, which was literally, over the river and through the woods. Pop-Pop kept an old acoustic guitar in the corner, and I’d get excited whenever he’d pick it up and strum on it. I can still picture him sipping a glass of dandelion wine that he’d made a few years before, and sharing his amazing stories and adventures from his youth.
At age 13, I got my first guitar on Christmas day and started writing songs soon after. Thankfully, my mom and dad were very supportive of my music. After I finished all of my chores for the day, they would let me play and practice as long as I wanted. My parents were happy that music kept me off the streets and out of trouble. By age 16, I was in my first band, playing rock & roll covers at my high school teen centers and “barn parties.”
High school graduation was a highlight because my parents helped me throw a huge party at our house. My band performed, and our entire graduating class showed up. We found kids sleeping in our yard the next morning. Suddenly my older brother and younger sister thought I was cool.
I had big dreams and I was eager to explore the world outside of Monkton, so I left my small town at age 18 to join the military. Stationed in Germany for a few years, I was exposed to a whole new culture. I played in bands and attended some of the greatest concerts in my life, from Rufus Thomas to Rory Gallagher. I also fell head over heels in love.
Then life took over. I first lived with my wife in Baltimore County, and a few years later, we moved to Los Angeles. As a mixed race couple, not everyone welcomed us, but we managed. I wrote songs and played music on weekends, and worked a day job. After almost a decade, our marriage ended, but fortunately we remain friends today.
Around the same time, I started digging deeper into “the Blues.” I realized that the main influences of all my favorite bands had come from the blues. So I started a journey to discover the music that my people created through the pain and suffering of slavery, and then later abandoned, for the most part.
I continued to work for many years as an elevator technician and toured part-time with my band, often traveling great distances. When I got laid off from my job, it provided the perfect opportunity to pursue what I had always known I was meant to do – MUSIC!
I’m so grateful to be a full-time, touring musician, and student for life. I never take it for granted. It’s not an easy life, but it sure is gratifying to connect with thousands of people a year through my songs and a shared passion for music. I’m proud to have released six original blues-rock CDs and 1 DVD to date, all with great reviews. I love what I do, and I wouldn’t trade one minute of it.
Great, 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?
I’ve been fortunate. My parents were supportive of my music when I was young, though it was tough for me to buy the instruments and gear I really wanted, which I’m sure goes for most budding artists.
Later in life, a big struggle was knowing that I wanted to dedicate my life and soul to music full time, but having to pay everyday bills. So I worked as an elevator mechanic full time for a few decades and traveled and performed with my band on weekends and vacation days. Then one day, I got laid off from my elevator job, which was a blessing in disguise because it made me go out and pursue my music career full time. I had been building up my original song catalog and fan base for so many years that the transition was not as difficult as I expected. Now I am so happy to be working exclusively on my music career because I know that this is what I was meant to do all along.
Otherwise, just finding opportunities can be a struggle, but I believe in myself and things always seem to work out.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a songwriter, guitar player, vocalist, band leader of Dennis Jones Band, and owner of Blue Rock Records and Leroy’s Boy Music, my publishing company.
My band is a high-energy, original, blues-rock power trio known for fun live performances at festivals, special events, and nightclubs. A lot of people like to dance at our shows. I’m known for soulful vocals and emotional guitar playing.
I am most proud of the fact that I am true to myself when I write and perform music, and that it connects and resonates with people. Over the years, I have been offered good money to be a tribute band and/or just play covers, but that is not whom I am. I am a creator and I am passionate about making original music. Some of my original songs have been covered by other artists, and some have been in films. That makes me proud.
What sets me apart is simply that I am 100% true to myself – you get Dennis Jones, raw and in the flesh. And some fans say I’m the real deal and the total package. I guess you have to check out a show and decide for yourself!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One summer, when I was 15 going on 16, I got my first “real” guitar – a black Ovation Breadwinner shaped like an axe. It played like a dream. Within a few months, I was playing in the band of the guy I bought it from. I could finally play what I heard in my head and it was so cool to be part of a band. I learned and shared ideas with real musicians for the first time. This is one of my favorite childhood memories because it was the beginning of my journey toward a career in music.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dennisjonescentral.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennisjonesband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dennisjonesband
- Other: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/dennisjonescentral
Image Credit:
Photos by Wendy Rea, Brian Phillips and Howard Blank
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