Tutu Jones

Born to Dallas-based R&B guitarist John Jones, Tutu Jones grew up surrounded by the music that would define his path, as household visitors like Freddie King, Little Joe Blue and Ernie Johnson made a career in blues seem inevitable. He entered the world as John Jones Jr. on September 9, 1966, and by his teenage years had already turned professional as a drummer, first supporting uncles Curly "Barefoot" Miller and L.C. Clark before accompanying artists such as Z.Z. Hill and R.L. Burnside. While those gigs continued, Jones simultaneously refined his abilities on guitar and as a songwriter, eventually stepping forward to lead his own groups. His first solo album, I'm for Real, appeared in 1994, with Blue Texas Soul following in 1996 and Staying Power arriving two years after that.