(March 3, 2024) The love that soul music fans have for The Jones Girls belies the success that they had on the charts. The trio’s biggest hit came in 1979 with the release of “You’re Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else.” That song was a Top 5 R&B hit and cracked the Pop Top 40.
A measure of the esteem that many artists and fans have for The Jones Girls can be seen in the songs that did not make as big a dent on the charts but ended up getting remade. Xscape’s remake of “Who Can I Run To” was an R&B and pop hit.
The point is that The Jones Girls are beloved for the classy way they carried themselves on stage, for the hard work they did to achieve success and for the music they made. Fans were saddened when Valorie and Brenda died in 2001 and 2017 respectively. Shirley, the oldest of the trio, continues to perform live and release new music.
(March 3, 2024) The love that soul music fans have for The Jones Girls belies the success that they had on the charts. The trio’s biggest hit came in 1979 with the release of “You’re Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else.” That song was a Top 5 R&B hit and cracked the Pop Top 40.
A measure of the esteem that many artists and fans have for The Jones Girls can be seen in the songs that did not make as big a dent on the charts but ended up getting remade. Xscape’s remake of “Who Can I Run To” was an R&B and pop hit.
The point is that The Jones Girls are beloved for the classy way they carried themselves on stage, for the hard work they did to achieve success and for the music they made. Fans were saddened when Valorie and Brenda died in 2001 and 2017 respectively. Shirley, the oldest of the trio, continues to perform live and release new music.
Shirley Jones’ latest project can rightly be described as a labor of love. The album is titled Reflections: In Loving Memory and is Shirley Jones’ tribute to her sisters. The project features tracks that capture the essence of The Jones Girls sound, and even includes songs like “At Your Mercy,” an album track on their debut album.
The disc includes “Baby Don’t Go Yet,” a song the trio recorded but never previously released. It’s hard to see what kept this track under wraps, as it has all the hallmarks of what allowed The Jones Girls and Philadelphia International Records to make such good music together – the lush PIR arrangements, the tight Jones Girls harmonies and lead vocals that paint the picture of a romantic evening that nobody wants to end. Check it out here.
By Howard Dukes