Jack Jones Dies

Jones’s dedication to music has seen him release over 50 albums.

Jack Jones is an American jazz and pop singer known for his smooth baritone voice and emotional delivery. His career spans several decades, featuring popular recordings and numerous awards. Here’s a closer look at his life and career.

Jack Jones was born John Allan Jones on January 14, 1938, in Hollywood, California, into a family deeply rooted in the entertainment industry. His father, Allan Jones, was a celebrated singer and actor in the 1930s and ’40s, known for roles in movies like Show Boat and A Night at the Opera. His mother, Irene Hervey, was an actress as well, adding to Jack’s early exposure to the world of show business. Growing up in this environment, Jones had access to some of the best resources and training in music and acting,

setting him up for a career in entertainment from a young age. However, he initially struggled to find his own path, living in the shadow of his famous father. Jones began his professional music career in the 1950s, signing with Capitol Records in 1959. His big break, however, came after he signed with Kapp Records in the early 1960s.

In 1980, his “Love Boat” television show theme song rose to No. 37 on the Billboard U.S. Adult Contemporary songs chart. Jones was also a frequent guest on the popular romantic comedy show in which guest stars, ranging from Gene Kelly to Janet Jackson, would come aboard for a cruise and fall in love with one another.

Singles
  • 1962 “Lollipops and Roses”
  • 1962 “Gift of Love”
  • 1962 “Poetry”
  • 1963 “Call Me Irresponsible”
  • 1963 “Wives and Lovers”
  • 1963 “Toys in the Attic”
  • 1964 “Love with the Proper Stranger”
  • 1964 “The First Night of the Full Moon”
  • 1864 “Where Love Has Gone”
  • 1864 “Dear Heart”
  • 1965 “The Race Is On”
  • 1965 “Seein’ the Right Love Go Wrong”
  • 1965 “Travellin’ On”
  • 1965 “Just Yesterday”
  • 1965 “The True Picture”
  • 1965 “Love Bug”
  • 1966 “The Weekend”
  • 1966 “The Impossible Dream (The Quest)”
  • 1966 “A Day in the Life of a Fool”
  • 1967 “Lady”
  • 1967 “I’m Indestructible”
  • 1967 “Afterthoughts”
  • 1967 “Now I Know”
  • 1967 “Our Song”
  • 1967 “Open for Business as Usual”
  • 1967 “Live for Life”
  • 1967 “Oh How Much I Love You”-
  • 1968 “The Gypsies, the Jugglers and the Clowns”
  • 1968 “If You Ever Leave Me”
  • 1968 “Follow Me”
  • 1968 “I Really Want to Know You”
  • 1968 “The Way That I Live”
  • 1968 “L.A. Break Down (and Take Me In)”
  • 1970 “Sweet Changes”
  • 1970 “I Didn’t Count on Love”
  • 1971 “Let Me Be the One”
  • 1972 “Games of Magic”
  • 1974 “She Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”
  • 1975 “What I Did for Love”
  • 1977 “With One More Look at You”
  • 1980 “Love Boat Theme”

He achieved considerable success with his 1962 hit “Lollipops and Roses,” which won him his first Grammy Award for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance. His smooth vocals and jazz-infused pop style set him apart, making him one of the more distinctive voices of the era. Other hits followed, including “Wives and Lovers,”

another Grammy-winning performance, as well as “The Impossible Dream” and “Call Me Irresponsible.” Jones’s acting career began in television, with appearances on The Andy Williams Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. While he never achieved the same fame in film as he did in music, he appeared in various shows and movies throughout his career, including voice work.

Notably, he voiced the character of “Gregory Stark” in the animated television series Batman: The Animated Series. Additionally, Jones found a stage for his talents in musical theater, performing in productions of Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, and Man of La Mancha, the latter allowing him to revisit his hit song “The Impossible Dream” within a theatrical context.

Jones continued to record and perform regularly through the 1970s and 1980s, embracing contemporary sounds while maintaining his jazz and pop sensibilities. His discography includes a wide variety of albums, ranging from traditional pop standards to jazz and bossa nova. Known for his interpretive abilities, he has a reputation for bringing unique emotional depth to his covers.

Jones’s dedication to music has seen him release over 50 albums, with highlights including L.A. Break Down, A Jack Jones Christmas, and Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett. Jack Jones has been married six times and has two children. His personal life has been marked by the challenges of maintaining relationships in the public eye, as well as balancing a demanding career with family life.

Albums
  • This Love of Mine (Capitol, 1959)
  • Shall We Dance (Kapp, 1961)
  • Lollipops and Roses (Kapp, 1961)
  • Gift of Love (Kapp, 1962)
  • I’ve Got a Lot of Livin’ to Do! (Kapp, 1962)
  • Call Me Irresponsible (Kapp, 1963)
  • Bewitched (Kapp, 1963)
  • Wives and Lovers (Kapp, 1963)
  • In Love (Capitol, 1964)
  • The Jack Jones Christmas Album (Kapp, 1964)
  • Where Love Has Gone (Kapp, 1964)
  • She Loves Me (Kapp, 1964)
  • Dear Heart (Kapp, 1965)
  • My Kind of Town (London, 1965)
  • There’s Love & There’s Love & There’s Love (Kapp, 1965)
  • Songs of Love (London, 1965)
  • Jack Jones (Mocambo, 1965)
  • For the In Crowd (Kapp, 1965)
  • Jack Jones Sings (Kapp, 1966)
  • The Impossible Dream (Kapp, 1966)
  • We’ll Be Together Again (Sears, 1966)
  • Our Song (Kapp, 1967)
  • Lady (Kapp, 1967)
  • Canciones Romanticas (Music Hall, 1967)
  • Without Her (RCA Victor 1967)
  • Where Is Love? (RCA Victor, 1968)
  • If You Ever Leave Me (RCA Victor, 1968)
  • What the World Needs Now Is Love! (Kapp, 1968)
  • Curtain Time (Kapp, 1968)
  • The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (Soundtrack) (RCA Victor, 1968)[20]
  • L. A. Break Down (RCA Victor, 1969)
  • A Jack Jones Christmas (RCA Victor, 1969)
  • Love Story (RCA Victor, 1969)
  • A Time for Us (RCA Victor 1969)
  • In Person at the Sands Las Vegas (RCA Victor, 1970)
  • Jack Jones Sings Michel Legrand (RCA Victor, 1971)
  • Bread Winners (RCA Victor, 1972)
  • A Song for You (RCA Victor, 1972)
  • Jack Jones in Hollywood (MCA, 1972)
  • Together (RCA Victor, 1973)
  • Christmas with Jack Jones (RCA Camden, 1973)
  • Harbour (RCA Victor, 1974)
  • What I Did for Love (RCA Victor, 1975)
  • Write Me a Love Song, Charlie (RCA Victor, 1975)
  • With One More Look at You (RCA Victor, 1977)
  • The Full Life (RCA Victor, 1977)
  • Nobody Does It Better (MGM, 1979)
  • Don’t Stop Now (MGM, 1980)
  • I’ve Been Here All the Time (Polydor, 1980)
  • Jack Jones (Applause, 1982)
  • Fire & Rain (President, 1985)
  • I Am a Singer (USA Music, 1984)
  • The Gershwin Album (Columbia, 1992)
  • Chase the Rainbows (Object 1992)
  • Live at the Sands (LaserLight, 1993)
  • The Mood Is Love (Quicksilver, 1993)
  • New Jack Swing (Linn, 1997)
  • White Christmas (MCA, 1998)
  • Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett (Honest, 1998)
  • The Wind Beneath My Wings (Castle Pulse, 2002)

Despite these challenges, he has often credited his family with providing stability throughout his life and career. Jack Jones has received two Grammy Awards, both for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance. His contributions to music have left a lasting legacy in the world of jazz and pop standards,

and his influence can still be seen in contemporary pop and jazz singers. Known for his impressive vocal range, attention to lyrical interpretation, and impeccable phrasing, Jones is respected by peers and fans alike. Even today, he remains an active performer, continuing to draw audiences with his timeless style.

Television
  • Hey, Jeannie!
  • Code 3
  • General Electric Theater
  • The Jack Benny Program
  • The Red Skeleton Hour
  • The Rat Patrol
  • The Mancini Generation
  • McMillan & Wife
  • Police Woman
  • The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
  • Sweepstakes
  • Condominium
  • The Love Boat,It’s a Living
  • Get a Life
  • Night Court
  • Buddy Faro
  • Over the Garden Wall
Movies
  • Juke Box Rhythm
  • Howdy
  • The Comeback
  • The Palace
  • Airplane II: The Sequel
  • Cruise of the Gods
  • American Hustle
  • Back to Black

Jack Jones died Wednesday night, October 23, 2024, at a hospital in Rancho Mirage, California, after battling leukemia for more than two years He was 86. Jones is survived by his wife, Eleanora Jung, daughters Crystal Jones and Nicole Ramasco, stepdaughters Nicole Whitty and Colette Peters, and three grandchildren.

Variety Shows
  • The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
  • The Ed Sullivan Show
  • The Andy Williams Show
  • The Dick Cavett Show
  • The Hollywood Palace
  • The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
  • The Carol Burnett Show
  • The Jerry Lewis Show
  • American Bandstand
  • This is Tom Jones
  • The Dean Martin Show
  • The Judy Garland Show
  • Playboy After Dark
  • The Jack Benny Program
  • The Steve Allen Show
  • The Morecambe and Wise Show (UK)
  • The Ed Sullivan Show
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Further Reading
Sources

Author: Doyle

I was born in Atlanta, moved to Alpharetta at 4, lived there for 53 years and moved to Decatur in 2016. I've worked at such places as Richway, North Fulton Medical Center, Management Science America (Computer Tech/Project Manager) and Stacy's Compounding Pharmacy (Pharmacy Tech).

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