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Bobby Jonz—1937 — 21 July 2020

Born Bob Willy Jones in Farmerville, Louisiana, Jonz was cared for
until age 7 by the plantation owners who employed his mother,
before his grandparents took over raising him. It was said that he

was born on the chop house floor of the cotton plantation.

As a teenager, he once served as
the driver for country great Hank
Williams before embarking on a music career of his
own. Jonz moved to Chicago in 1959, where he became a fixture
in local clubs.

Bobby Jonz passed away at the North Las Vegas VA Medical
Center in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas after
contracting COVID—19. The virus has decimated his
family. His brother died from it in March. His

longtime girlfriend Easter Morris — a fixture at his
shows, where she loved dancing to his music —
passed away from the same disease the week before
Jonz died. But Jonz was hospitalized and in a coma
and never learned of her death.

In the 80s Jones started recording in the chittlin' circuit as Bobby Jonz, releasing a host of singles in

the decade ('If You Got The Touch I Got The Time') in addition to an obscure LP before signing with
Johnny Vincent's Ace label. There he released 'In The Mood For Love' and followed it up with a
Country effort called 'This is Bobby Jonz Country'. Two more unsuccessful CDs followed before
returning to the Blues market with his original name. He was featured on The Mannish Boys' 2008
disc 'Big Plans' before releasing a new solo album called 'Comin' Back Hard', which also features the

Mannish Boys. He returned to Southern Soul with 'You Ain't Got No Proof' in 2011. Check out a
discography here.

“He was deathly afraid of getting COVID, and he stayed inside the last few months,” said Evan
Lovefire, a musician and label coordinator for Jonz’s record company, Loveforce International. “He
had heart surgery about a year and a half ago and he had diabetes. That’s why he was so afraid,

because he knew he had these other conditions. But somehow, it got to him anyway.”

“He could sing anything,” says godson Charles “Stix” Taylor, a Vegas—based drummer who
performed with Jonz. “Matter of fact, he was working on a country album as well. He was just so
versatile. He was a good bandleader and a good person, good friend, good father. He was just a great
man.”

Ian K McKenzie
Compiled from various sources