Jack Jones, a prolific nightclub singer who Frank Sinatra as soon as referred to as the “subsequent massive star of present enterprise,” has died at age 86.
Jones died Wednesday night at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage after a two-year battle with leukemia, his supervisor Milt Suchin confirmed to the Times on Thursday. Suchin stated Jones “died peacefully holding the palms of his spouse Eleanor and his beloved toy poodle, Ivy.”
The Grammy-winning baritone, who has launched greater than 50 albums throughout his profession, is greatest recognized for his performances theme song for the ABC sitcom “The Love Boat,” which ran for 9 seasons from 1977 to 1986. Originally launched as a single in 1979, with a canopy of Barry Manilow’s “Ready to Take a Chance Again” on the B-side, Jones The disco-style tune has been lined by artists together with Charo and Olivia Newton-John.
Also an actor, Jones’ credit embrace “Juke Box Rhythm” in 1959, the 1978 horror movie “The Comeback” and the 2002 TV film “Cruise of the Gods.” He additionally made a cameo as a nightclub singer within the 2013 movie “American Hustle.”
Once thought-about Frank Sinatra’s inheritor, Jones was described by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself as “the very best potential singer within the trade. He has a particularity, an all-round high quality that doubtlessly locations him about three factors forward of the opposite guys.”
In addition to 2 Grammys, Jones has been honored with stars from the Palm Springs Walk of Stars and the Hollywood Celebrity Walk.
John Allan Jones was born on January 14, 1938 in Hollywood to singer Allan Jones and Emmy-nominated actress Irene Harvey. It was the identical day his father recorded his hit “Donkey Serenade,” which appeared within the 1937 film musical “The Firefly,” starring the elder Jones, in accordance with Jones’ website.
Jones attended University High School in West L.A. whereas learning drama and voice with personal lecturers employed by his father. Among her fondest highschool reminiscences was the day her pal Nancy Sinatra invited her father to sing within the faculty auditorium. The expertise solidified Jones’ aspirations of changing into an expert singer.
Weeks after graduating from highschool in 1957, Jones made his skilled debut as a part of his father’s present, first in Elko, Nevada, after which on the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas. He went alone shortly after.
His first break got here when a demo he recorded for singer-songwriter Don Raye landed at Capitol Records, which signed the newcomer to a contract in 1959. There he launched his debut album, “This Love of Mine,” the Desert sun reported.
Following inventive variations with the legacy label, Jones moved to Kapp Records, the place he launched his first hit single, “Lollipops and Roses,” in 1961, the outlet reported. The track earned him his first Grammy Award in 1962 for Best Solo Vocal Performance.
Jones was nonetheless working his “day job” as a fuel station attendant when he launched his first album with Kapp, and was completely happy when in the future, whereas washing a buyer’s windshield, he heard his track enjoying on the radio. She went on to launch 19 albums with Kapp Records and later earned one other Grammy, for her 1963 single “Wives and Lovers” – which climbed to No. 14 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Kapp “put the tune on the B-side of the only,” Jones stated The occasions in 1993, “however the disc jockeys turned it over and performed it anyway.”
After the track garnered criticism for its “politically incorrect” themes, Jones informed the Times he changed the lyrics “Hey little woman, do your hair, repair your make-up” with the choice traces “Hey, little boy, get your enamel , repair your enamel.” toupee.”
In the late Nineteen Sixties, Jones moved to RCA Victor and transitioned to a extra up to date sound. His album “A Time for Us” (1969) options covers of famend singer-songwriters together with Randy Newman, Carole King and Gilbert O’Sullivan.
Quitting his smoking behavior in 1980, Jones maintained management of his candy, singing voice effectively into his eighties and made common appearances at on line casino nightclubs, Washington Post reported.
A Coachella Valley resident for the previous few many years, Jones acquired a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2003. Celebrating his eightieth birthday at Palm Desert’s McCallum Theater in 2018, he joked, as a result of lots of his singing “rivals” had been deceased, his ambition was “to be the best singer on the planet by default,” the Desert Sun reported.
Jones is survived by his spouse Eleonora Donata Peters and stepdaughters Nicole Whitty and Colette Peters; his daughter Crystal Thomas, from his marriage to Katie Lee Nuckols; daughter Nicole Ramasco, from her marriage to Kim Ely; and three grandchildren.
