Senator Jones

Senator Nolan Jones (November 9, 1934 – November 28, 2008) was an American record company owner, producer, singer, and songwriter who worked in R&B and blues. He recorded and promoted Louisiana and Mississippi performers and songs for more than four decades.

Early years Senator Nolan Jones was born in Jackson, Mississippi on November 9, 1934. "I was always interested in music," he recalled. “I was a big blues lover, you never could play enough blues for me. I used to duck in the cafes and ice cream parlors on Farish and Fortification streets and listen to people like Buddy Johnson, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Liggins and Louis Jordan on the jukebox. I even saw Elmore James play in Jackson." He moved with his family to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1951. Jones remained in the city after his parents soon returned to Jackson. He worked as a laborer for two years until he was drafted into the Army in 1953. While stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, Jones performed with the Desperados, a vocal group whose members included Oscar Toney Jr. and Jo Jo Benson. "I joined a group called the Desperados as a vocalist", he remembered. "We worked around Augusta and Atlanta." The band opened shows for national acts such as The "5" Royales and Hank Ballard and The Midnighters at area clubs.

Discharged from the Army in 1957, Jones worked the edges of the city's music scene, occasionally sitting in at local clubs like the Club and Dew Drop Inn. He helped Al Johnson write "You Done Me Wrong",

1960s Jones began to frequent Joe Assunto's One Stop Record Shop at 330 South Rampart Street in the early 1960s. Assunto employed both of them in the store at various times sweeping, packing, shipping, and making deliveries. Jones convinced One Stop clerk Eugene "Whurley Burley” Burlison that he might profit from his association with Assunto if he launched his own record label. This led to Jones recording "Let Yourself Go" backed with "Call The Sheriff" on Whurley Burley Records in 1963. Jones' second studio session, with Quezergue at the helm, generated "I Think Of You" backed with "Sugar Dee" for the Watch label in 1965 . Earl King noted, "Senator been tryin' to get rid of "I Think Of You" since 1954. He auditioned that song for Johnny Vincent, Joe Ruffino, and Eddie Bo's label." Jones recorded "Whatcha Gonna Do" backed with "Boston Fleet", a Wardell Quezergue-produced release, for Hot Line Records in 1965. Writer Michael Hurtt noted, "'Whatcha Gonna Do' reveals a jarring side of the Senator, who's amped with the sweat-drenched dedication of a revivalist preacher, testifying all the way to kingdom come." Jones continued to record sporadically through the 1960s for a handful of labels including Hot Line Records, Sapphire Records, Bell Records, International City Records, and his own Shagg Records label. Jones signed Rockie Charles to Black Patch Records, after Charles had been turned down by Dave Bartholomew of Imperial Records and Allen Toussaint of Minit Records and Instant Records. Charles, who worked as a tugboat captain on the Mississippi River, had learned the guitar from his father, a bluesman who played juke joints in Plaquemines Parish. Jones took Charles into the studio to record "Riccasha" backed with "Sinking Like A Ship". The record launched Charles' musical career despite generating only local interest. He later backed O.V. Wright, Otis Redding, Percy Sledge, and others on the road. Jones folded the Black Patch label when Charles' record failed to sell. He made an arrangement with Cosimo Matassa to distribute the Shagg releases he recorded at Matassa's studio. After Allen Toussaint and record man Marshall Sehorn opened Sea-Saint Studios in 1973 the studio did well producing hits like "Lady Marmalade" for LaBelle, and recording a succession of well-known artists including Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, John Mayall, and Elvis Costello. In 1978 they brought in engineer Cosimo Matassa, and opened the studio to independent producers, among them Senator Jones. Jones struck a deal with Marshall Sehorn that exchanged a percentage of his record sales for studio time at Sea-Saint.

1980s Rap music had become popular with young black fans in New Orleans by the early 1980s. In 1983, Jones released one of the first rap records to come out of the city on his Super Dome Records label. The twelve-inch single by Parlez was titled “Make It, Shake It, Do It Good!”, a Carnival-themed song with references to Mardi Gras Indians, the Zulu Parade, and other Mardi Gras traditions. By 1985, the local radio market had become dominated by stations controlled by corporate interests and long distance owners airing national playlists. With no chance of being broadcast, Jones could not sell his artists' records to distributors and record stores. He was out of the business for a few years before moving back to Jackson, Mississippi. There he worked for a short time with Jackson music men Johnny Vincent and George Jackson. He also did radio promotion for Jackson-based Malaco Records for two years. As "Uncle Bobo", Jones was the host of a late-night radio program on WMPR in Jackson.

Senator Jones died at his home at the age of 74 on November 28, 2008.

Discography New Orleans, La. 1963 "Let Yourself Go" b/w "Call The Sheriff" - Whurley Burley Records 101

New Orleans, La. 1965 "Sugar Dee" b/w "I Think Of You" - Watch Records 6337

New Orleans, La. 1966 "Whatcha Gonna Do" b/w "Boston Fleet" - Hot Line Records 120

New Orleans, La. 1966 "Give Me Another Chance" b/w "A Dream" - Sidra (E) 9014

New Orleans, La. 1968 "Sweet Thing" b/w "Miniskirt Dance" - Bell Records 687

New Orleans, La. 1968 "Do You Love Me" b/w "Who's Loving Her Now" - Shagg Records 713 "The Fat Man" b/w "Today And Tonight" - Shagg Records 801

Memphis, Tenn. and Pearl, Ms. 1998 (as Uncle Bo-Bo) "Did You Sleep With Mary?" b/w "Catfish Pond"- Hep' Me Records 1000