Music was Jack Jones' birthright. The singer's singer - best-known for "Wives and Lovers," "Lollipops and Roses," "The Race Is On," and, yes, the theme to The Love Boat - was born to actors Allan Jones and Irene Hervey in 1938 and grew up in the world of show business, eventually reaching its heights himself. Jones has died at 86 after a battle with leukemia, and while his passing closes another chapter of The Great American Songbook, his extraordinary body of work will continue to resonate.
While attending University High School in West Los Angeles, Jones studied drama and music privately, but it was a performance in the school auditorium by his school friend Nancy Sinatra's father Frank that proved enormously influential. The young man was struck by the elder Sinatra's conversational approach to interpreting a song's lyrics - the polar opposite of his father Allan's full-throated, tailor-made-for-operetta tenor. (Jones' grandfather, too, was a singer as well as a music teacher.)
Developing his own style, Jack would meld Allan's legit technique with Sinatra's casual cool. He made his debut at 19 years old at Las Vegas' Thunderbird Hotel and Casino as a guest star in his father's act. In 1959 he was signed to Capitol Records. At Capitol, Jones released an album and a handful of singles (including one song, "Make Room for the Joy," by a pair of songwriters who would play a substantial role in his future: Burt Bacharach and Hal David) that failed to ignite. Yet one Capitol track did manage to catch the ear of a San Francisco club owner. On the strength of his recording of Steve Allen's "This Could Be the Start of Something Big," best known in Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme's rendition, Jones was booked as a headliner at the Facks nightclub. Performing at Facks, he was spotted by Pete King, a veteran composer-arranger with ties to Kapp Records. With King's support, Jones was signed in 1960 to the independent label. Jones' debut single, "Lonesome Old Town" b/w "A Lot of Livin' to Do" from Bye Bye Birdie, arrived in July 1960, but he would have to wait a little longer to dent the charts.
Jack was still serving in the U.S. Air Force when he recorded Tony Velona's sweet "Lollipops and Roses." The song was released in fall 1961 just as Jones' time in the service was coming to a close. "Lollipops" made it all the way to No. 12 on the Billboard Easy Listening survey and crossed over to Pop, as well. Jones earned a Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance - Male for his smooth take on the ballad. It was followed by his hit rendition of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen's "Call Me Irresponsible," and then by the Bacharach and David waltz "Wives and Lovers" in 1963. Though the lyrical advice might have been questionable at best, Jones' suave croon and effortless sense of swing propelled "Wives and Lovers" to No. 14 on the Hot 100 (his best-ever placement on the chart) and No. 9 Easy Listening. "Wives" earned him a second Grammy Award.
Jack's time at Kapp Records saw many triumphs including chart-topping recordings of "The Race Is On," "The Impossible Dream," and Bert Kaempfert's "Lady," but his most lasting contribution to pop culture during the Kapp era may have emanated from 1964's The Jack Jones Christmas Album (reissued on CD in 2016 by Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records). Among its many choice selections was Rodgers and Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things." The song was introduced in the duo's 1959 Broadway musical The Sound of Music as performed by young postulant Maria Von Trapp (Mary Martin) and the Mother Abbess (Patricia Neway). Arranger-conductor Pete King was quick to sense its potential as a yuletide song, recording it with his Pete King Chorale in 1960. Other Christmas cover recordings didn't proliferate, however, until Jones (perhaps at his friend King's urging) recorded it. Following Jack's swinging jazz interpretation, the showtune became a de rigeur selection on seasonal LPs. In 1965 alone - the year of The Sound of Music's landmark film adaptation - it appeared on holiday albums by The Supremes, Andy Williams, and Eddie Fisher. Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and Johnny Mathis were just a few of the stars to follow in Jones' footsteps and record it in ensuing years.
Jones departed Kapp for RCA Victor in the fall of 1967, with over twenty albums already under his belt. Kapp would continue to issue new collections from its marquee artist through 1968. At RCA, Jones slowly but surely embraced a more contemporary direction and the current crop of songwriters. His very first release there, November 1967's Without Her, featured numerous standards but was titled for a fresh cut penned by Jones' new labelmate Harry Nilsson. Jack kept up his extraordinary pace at his new home, remaining on RCA for a decade. There, he dedicated entire albums to the songbooks of Charles Aznavour, Michel Legrand, and even the group Bread. A showcase for his warm croon on songs both whimsical and dramatic, Jack Jones Sings Michel Legrand was reportedly his favorite of the many albums he recorded over the decades. Despite any reservations he might have had about recording increasingly rock-oriented material - he even took a stab at Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken" - Jones brought innate class and cool sophistication to the RCA years. (Sadly, most of Jones' repertoire for the label remains unavailable on CD, with all of his post-1969 material for the label absent from streaming services.)
Just as his period at the label was ending, Jones embarked on a new voyage. For eight seasons beginning in 1977, his voice came into households singing the praises of The Love Boat via Paul Williams and Charles Fox's beloved theme song. He had long found particular affinity with Williams' songbook via deeply felt readings of such songs as "I Never Had It So Good," "That's What Friends Are For," "We've Only Just Begun," "I Won't Last a Day Without You," "Let Me Be the One," and "With One More Look at You." Following in his father's silver screen footsteps, Jack even dabbled in the horror movie milieu with a starring role in 1978's The Comeback. Stage work included leading roles in regional productions of such musicals as Man of La Mancha, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, and The Pajama Game.
Subsequent albums were cut for labels including MGM, Applause, and Columbia (where he continued his songwriter salutes with 1992's majestic The Gershwin Album). Another Grammy nomination arrived for 1998's tribute to a friend and mentor, Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett. In 2013, Jack appeared in director David O. Russell's Academy Award-winning American Hustle singing Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh's classic "I've Got Your Number," and the new recording was included on its successful soundtrack album. He continued to perform and record well into the 2010s, most recently releasing ArtWork in 2023, a collaborative album with the late jazz multi-instrumentalist Joey DeFrancesco. Its cover photo of Jones was painted by Tony Bennett; the album featured a typically eclectic array of songs reimagined by Jones from such composers as Jacques Brel, Don McLean, Billy Strayhorn, Leon Russell, Lionel Richie, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and his beloved Michel Legrand. Though the voice had weathered, the spirit had not.
Though his invitation to "come aboard" The Love Boat was an enticing one, Jack Jones' contribution to the art of popular singing was much greater than the song that brought him into living rooms each week. His voice was powerful yet intimate, swaggering yet vulnerable, and elegant yet earthy. There was no lyric to which Jones couldn't apply his life experience, and no melody to which he couldn't get straight to the heart. Somewhere the years of my youth lie inside me, Jones sang so persuasively on his Legrand tribute album, growing old like mellow wine. Indeed, this consummate vocalist's near-65 years of original recordings will continue to age like fine wine, inspiring generations to come.
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Beautiful tribute. Thanks, Joe.
Definitely, a wonderful and unexpected tribute
Thank you for this lovely tribute to one of the finest singers. Jack did not get the acknowledgement and appreciation he deserved.
Yes, I TOTALLY AGREE. I absolutely love his style of music. Takes you back to the good old days.
It's taken long enough to print details. One of the best,saw him numerous times. His voice was so beautiful. RIP Jack xx
I agree! I put him up there with Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, etc. I don't know why he was not more popular!
What a legend 😔 seen him live many times in England. Gentleman through and through. A sad loss to the industry and fans alike. God bless
Now’s the perfect time to reissue ‘The Jack Jones Christmas Album’ on CD. The first run in 2016 vanished quickly in the blink of an eye.
A very touching tribute to a wonderful singer who really could sing anything. Jack and his father Allan played estranged father and son in an episode of The Love Boat. I agree with David G. above. it is time to reissue The Jack Jones Christmas Album on CD.
Wow, such a GREAT eulogy ! My late mother would've loved this !
RIP Jack, you made a impact on my
67 yr old life too
I hope whoever is in charge of Jack’s estate will consider licensing some or all of his RCA recordings .
I have always admired jack joness with one more look at you album for rca. Otherwise his best work is the recordings he did for kapp records.
Gently, Jack Jones won’t you come to me?
Was that line written about him?
Hope an equally classy eulogy for Phil Lesh will appear Monday.
I loved Jack Jones..one of my favorite singers other than Francis Albert.
He was as handsome and classy as his songs..
There are no duplicates for him. He will live on with his fabulous songs!
My Mom loved Jack Jones. He had a beautiful voice, classy and wonderful person. He will always be missed 🙏
Jack was the best
No one could sing better in his vintage years. I am 80 now.Jack was very underrated.Frank Sinatra wasn't nearly as good
Matt Monro was close.He was a singers singer
Thank you to Joe Marchese for the well written and appreciated article In Memoriam: Jack Jones.
I always thought Jack Jones and his father, Allan Jones, were often overlooked as vocal performers. Allan Jones' vocal performance in the 1936 Universal version of Show Boat was divine. Jack Jones' rendition of the Love Boat on the small screen was mesmerizing. Thank you for the gifts, father and son.
I am so sad to learn of The great Jack Jones passing today.
He was truly one of a kind in singing entertainment, he for me is the last of the great American singers, I was a young man in the 1960s and along with the great singers of that generation I was so impressed of his delivery of such great songs,Wife’s and Lovers, Lollypops and Roses, The Impossible Dream, just to name only a few of his great singing power and other great standards, I know that I along with many of his fans worldwide he will no doubt be surely missed.
RIP Jack and thank you for so many great songs you graced us with.
Good article Joe. Unlike some my favourite period was the RCA years. Hope as a tribute to Jack, we get the RCA Years on CD. RIP.
I love Wives and Lovers, always thought it should have been the Mad Men song, as Jack's super smooth vocals crowned men as absolute kings of the 60's Era. Sexist song? Yes, but so what! RIP maestro.
Saw him first when I was 16/17....fell in love with him and his music right there and then. I'm 70 now,seen him many times, met him a few times. There will never be anyone to take his place even Michael Buble who is pretty good.
It was his time, but boy....it's sad
No-one mentions the wonderful LPs made during and after his love affair with Susan George. I have them all.
Loved his voice.
I agree with you I have all his albums from that time. He was an amazing singer. I still play his records and CDS. Luckily enough to meet him in Bournemouth a few years ago. w I first saw him at the Winter Gardens I think it was in the 70's or 80's and I think Susan George was with him then. The last time I saw him was not far from where I live again I think it was 2019 at the Concorde Club it was a fabulous evening. RIP wonderful Jack Jones.❤️
I am so sad to hear of his passing. He was my mother's favorite singers! I grew up hearing him all my first 20 yrs of life. Our favorites of his many albums were his Christmas album and "Write Me a Love Song Charlie." My mother passed away this August, for her funeral background music I had this album playing. I know playing his music made her very happy. Everyone commented on how nice and perfect the music was! I wish they would release it on CD and iTunes. My children and now grandchildren have learned to love his music too! RIP, You will be sorely missed, but never forgotten. Your music lives on.
Wow! An incredible tribute for an incredible performer. I grew up listening to Jack thanks to my mom & her collection of albums of artists of that time...Streisand, Mathis, John Gary, and the ever-so-handsome Jack Jones. Jack was hands down my favorite and is still on my play lists. Rest in peace, Jack, may your memory be eternal. Great job, Joe Marchese!
sad to hear of Jack Jones, sadly no mention of track 'this world is yours ' title song to film anzio
He was a class act and singer
I have been a fan of Jacks for over 50 Years! He was a wonderful singer” His ability to interpret the lyrics in a way to make one feel “The Story “ is singular and distinguished! His range was exceptional! His rendition Of the man from La moncha was Don Q!!!!!!!
I was fortunate also to become friends with Jack. On night at his home we celebrated his birthday… he sang and then asked me to sing for him …. How do you follow Jack Jones??? He sang for my wife on her birthday! He sang at my home every time he and Eleonora were there and he often sang where ever he was!
I fear there will never be another like him. I listen to him every day!
I will never forget Jack Jones
May he rest in piece
Joel
My husband took me to all his concerts when in Brighton U K.
I am a lifelong fan Where is LOVE from Oliver etc. Outstanding voice. R I P Lovely Jack
Such an honest and dignified tribute to a great American Singer who is the last great Original Standards Singer. Jack Jones'passing has affected me so deeply. I find my original love for him when he emerged this Adonis handsome cool cat young man with astoundingly gorgeous voice remained in tact all these years, and it's painful now to have it cut. Rest Peacefully, Jack. Thank you for a Lifetime of Great Music. I will Love You forever.
Don't recall any information on the passing of Jack Jones in the Canadian media?
My wife and I are now in our 80's but still have happy memories of the time we saw jack in Birmingham, England when we lived there and his concerts at Hamilton Place in Hamilton, Ontario.
We still have many of his vinyl albums. Our favourite was Bread Winners which unfortunately disappeared from our collection several years ago and which we would love replace.
What a fabulous voice.
We had the pleasure of meeting him briefly after the concert in Birmingham.
We have been married for 59 years and Jack has always been with us.