(December 20, 2023) One of the joys that comes with writing about a newly released song by an immortal like the late Linda Jones is getting familiar with her body of work. That became my happy task after being assigned an article on “Calling Me,” a new recording by Jones that was produced by Jones’ daughter Terry and Helen Bruner and released on Dec. 14 - what would have been Jones’ 79th birthday.
Jones died in 1972 at the age of 27, but it was illness rather than the excesses of the rock ‘n roll lifestyle that caused the singer’s tragic death. Many soul music fans remember Jones’ 1967 hit “Hypnotized,” but there was much more to her strong body of work. Jones possessed a powerful voice that fused gospel and R&B, and she put the entirety of herself into every song she sang. That might explain her ability to take ownership of any song that she sang – regardless of whether it was an original or cover.
(December 20, 2023) One of the joys that comes with writing about a newly released song by an immortal like the late Linda Jones is getting familiar with her body of work. That became my happy task after being assigned an article on “Calling Me,” a new recording by Jones that was produced by Jones’ daughter Terry and Helen Bruner and released on Dec. 14 - what would have been Jones’ 79th birthday.
Jones died in 1972 at the age of 27, but it was illness rather than the excesses of the rock ‘n roll lifestyle that caused the singer’s tragic death. Many soul music fans remember Jones’ 1967 hit “Hypnotized,” but there was much more to her strong body of work. Jones possessed a powerful voice that fused gospel and R&B, and she put the entirety of herself into every song she sang. That might explain her ability to take ownership of any song that she sang – regardless of whether it was an original or cover.
“Calling Me” is a ballad that finds Jones informing the other man that he is firmly ensconced as number two, and that she will answer her main man’s call. Jones proves to be a peerless storyteller on this track. Her phrasing is conversational, yet her vocals retain all the passion and range that she showcased during her brief but productive career.
This project is a labor of love for Terry Jones and Helen Bruner. The pair provided the backing vocals in this updated version of the song and released the lyric video that SoulTrackers can check out here. Jones’ contribution to music have not been forgotten. She was posthumously inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame in September, and Terry Jones and Helen Bruner produced the album Soul Talkin’ that featured Linda Jones. A song off that album “Baby I Know,” received a Grammy nomination in 2008. "Calling Me" is yet another reminder that in a career cut far too short, Linda Jones was a soul music giant.
By Howard Dukes