Waynell Jones

Hailing from Henderson, Tennessee, Waynell Jones was a staple of the blues and gospel scenes of the city for his entire life. His family was extremely musical, with all 38 of his aunts and uncles playing some form of instrument, and Jones would pick up the guitar by fifteen, an instrument that he himself paid for with money he made for doing field work. He would regularly perform at house parties and country picnics, eventually ending up as a street musician.

By the time Dr. David Evans had heard of him, Jones’ career had taken a shift. While still regularly performing on the guitar, he had also been part of the janitorial staff at the Freed-Hardeman College for 18 years, where his music was extremely popular with the students. Freed-Hardeman faculty member Alvin Price recorded a demo tape and sent it to High Water, for whom Jones recorded a single at the University of Memphis.