?At Stax, there was an infusion of the knowledge of composition through me to my partners. He discussed this in a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone magazine upon the release of his memoir Time is Tight. While Jones is best known for sparse and soulful Memphis R&B, he is quick to credit his broad musical education at Indiana with making an indelible mark on his style. On weekends and over summer breaks, he would head back to record sessions with artist such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and Wilson Pickett, to name but a few. Jones didn?t sever his ties with the Memphis scene while a Hoosier. He pledged Kappa Alpha Psi, played trombone in the university?s orchestra and delighted classmates with impromptu jam sessions. Jones poured himself into his studies of harmony and composition, but found time for an active campus life. The Jacobs School of Music was, as it is today, one of the most respected in the nation.
Seemingly set, but hungry for musical knowledge, Jones eschewed advice to buckle down in Memphis, and matriculated to Indiana University. Stepping into the spotlight, the group recorded a song written by Jones that would become a massive hit and their signature tune, a 12-bar blues called ?Green Onions.? The song reached #1 on the Billboard R&B chart and #3 on the pop chart. who would eventually coalesce into the soul powerhouse of Booker T. It would be a group of Stax musicians - Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald ?Duck? Dunn, and Al Jackson Jr. He was soon a regular sideman for Satellite and Stax artists. It wasn?t long before Jim Stewart, head of what was to become legendary R&B label Stax Record, took note of Jones. There he studied music theory, expanded his repertoire, and directed the school orchestra. Driven by his love of music, the Memphis native was quite near a professional musician by the time he entered high school. Jones, however, was well on his way before he ever stepped foot on the campus of Indiana University.Ī musical prodigy, Jones played saxophone, flute, oboe, clarinet, trombone, drums, guitar, piano, and organ, all by the age of ten. Most folks head to college to help galvanize their direction in life.
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