Samantha Jones

Jean Owen (born 17 November 1943), known as Samantha Jones is a former English singer whose career spanned the mid-1960s through the early 1980s. She won three international pop music contests and charted records in the Benelux countries. Her recordings later experienced a revival on the Northern soul scene.

Biography Jean Owen started her career in 1961 as part of popular English vocal group The Vernons Girls. During her time with the group, the line-up went from sixteen members to just three girls. The Vernons Girls enjoyed a couple of top 40 hits, including "Lover Please", "Only You Can Do It," (also released by Françoise Hardy) and recorded one of the first Beatles tribute songs, "We Love The Beatles". They also opened for The Beatles several times and appeared with them in a 1964 TV special, Around The Beatles.

In 1964, with the help of producer Charles Blackwell, Owen embarked on a solo career and signed with the international record label United Artists, who gave her the stage name Samantha Jones. Her first TV performance as a solo performer was a duet with Long John Baldry on 20 November 1964; the Vernons Girls had previously backed him on Around the Beatles. She released several unsuccessful 45s (amongst them "Surrounded by a Ray of Sunshine," later a staple on the Northern soul circuit). Two of Jones' songs were covered by Françoise Hardy and released on the LP known as L'Amitié.

In 1965 she took part in the Venice .

In 1967, two of Samantha Jones's performances were included in the soundtrack of the film The Vengeance of Fu Manchu.

On 15 July 1970, Samantha Jones made a guest appearance on The Morecambe & Wise Show, In 1973, she recorded the song "Man Is a Hunter" for the film Commuter Husbands. After that, she switched labels again, this time to EMI, and released two albums with the veteran producer Walter J. Ridley.

By then, Jones had become a known cabaret act and performed on cruise ships including the Queen Elizabeth 2. All the while, Samantha Jones sang on numerous BBC radio shows. In 1982, the Dutch label Dureco released the album Goin' Places. She stopped singing in 1986 and became a producer placing numerous musical production shows on cruise lines until she sold her interest in the mid-1990s. In 1986 she became close to showbiz accountant Jose Goumal (who had been her professional adviser since 1970), they moved in together and married in 1998. Today, Jean Owen lives with her husband in London and Henley-on-Thames.

Discography Albums 1968 Call It Samantha US only 1970 A Girl Named Sam 1970 The Other Jones 1972 My Way (compilation LP) 1974 Sing It Again Sam 1976 The Lady Likes It Latin 1982 Goin' Places

Singles