Buster B. Jones

Buster B. Jones (August 24, 1959 – February 2, 2009) was an American guitarist specializing in the fingerpicking style.

Biography Born Bradley F. Jones in Ames, Iowa, on August 24, 1959, he is the son of Clarence Buster and Allene Whillour Jones and had three sisters and three brothers. He learned to play at a very young age, his talent coming from his parents and older brother, Ron. He graduated from Ames High School in 1978 and then served in the United States Air Force. He first became known after entering Guitar Player Magazine's International Reader's Soundpage Competition in 1988 on a whim. He submitted an original composition, titled Back Porch Boogie, as well as a cover of Salty Dog Blues, recorded using a reel-to-reel recorder and then transferred to cassette using a boombox. Jones came in first place out of nearly 900 entries. He went on to win the National Fingerpicking Championship at Winfield, Kansas in 1990. He formed a duo with his friend Thom Bresh, the son of Merle Travis.

In 1995, Jones became a spokesman for Godin guitars, playing a custom instrument he named "Pearl" for the mother of pearl inlay of his name on the neck. He toured often, earning the nicknames "Le Machine Gun" and "Pistola" for his fast playing style. That same style earned the notice of Chet Atkins, who described Buster by saying; "Buster B. Jones is the best fingerpicker I've heard since Jerry Reed... He plays like he's double parked." He was survived by his companion Nancy Writer, and had two daughters, Jennifer and Jessica. He was first married to Cindy Jones Thomas.

Discography

Albums

Solo Year Album Label 1988 Back Porch Boogie Flat Five Press & Recording Co., FFP-1103 1988 Stepping Out Flat Five Press & Recording Co., FFP-1105 1991 Live at 'Five Flat Five Press & Recording Co., FFP-11111998 Fingers in Flight Recorded at Brian McConnal Studio, Quebec, Canada 2002 Just Us Pazgunyak Music, PM040602 2005 A Decade of Buster B. Jones compilation CD (?)

Duet

Year Album Label 2001 Guts & Steel: Goovemasters vol. 5: Thom Bresh & Buster B. Jones Solid Air Records 2003 Ron's Point of View (featuring Buster's song Jessica Sue and two duos with Ron Wise: Conceived in Alaska & Fireweed) Ron's Point of View

DVDs

Year Name Studio 1998 (VHS Tape), 2006 (DVD) Buster B. Jones In Concert (with special guest Thom Bresh) Homespun, Hal Leonard, HL00641399 (VHS Tape), HL00642001 (DVD) 1998 (VHS Tape), 2005 (DVD) Thom Bresh In Concert (with special guest Buster B. Jones) Homespun, Hal Leonard, HL00641893 (DVD) +14 instructional DVDs released by Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop

Songbooks