David Lynn Jones

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David Lynn Jones
Born (1950-01-15) January 15, 1950 (age 74)[1]
OriginBexar, Arkansas, United States[1]
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1987–1994
LabelsMercury, 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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Albums[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

References[edit]

  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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