Jack Jones, Grammy-winning crooner of ‘The Love Boat’ theme, dies at 86

As a lifelong admirer of Jack Jones, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of melancholy with the news of his passing. From his humble beginnings as a gas station attendant, to sharing the stage with Frank Sinatra and gracing the screens of our television sets, Jack Jones was truly a shining star in the world of entertainment.

86-year-old Jack Jones, who was hailed as the “next big act in show business” by Frank Sinatra due to his remarkable talent as a nightclub singer, has sadly passed away.

Jones died Wednesday night at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage after a two-year battle with leukemia, his manager Milt Suchin confirmed Thursday to The Times. Suchin said that Jones “passed peacefully holding hands with his wife Eleonora and his beloved toy poodle, Ivy.”

Known primarily for his Grammy-winning rendition of the theme song from the nine-season ABC sitcom “The Love Boat,” which aired from 1977 to 1986, this baritone vocalist released over 50 albums throughout his career. The tune, initially unveiled as a single in 1979 with Barry Manilow’s “Ready to Take a Chance Again” on its reverse side, has since been reinterpreted by various entertainers such as Charo and Olivia Newton-John, showcasing its disco-influenced style.

Besides being an actor, Jones boasts credits such as “Juke Box Rhythm” from 1959, the horror film “The Comeback” in 1978, the TV movie “Cruise of the Gods” in 2002, and a cameo as a nightclub singer in the 2013 film “American Hustle”.

Initially seen as a likely successor to Frank Sinatra, Jones was personally praised by Sinatra himself as “the most promising singer in the industry.” He possesses a unique, superior quality that sets him apart from other artists by approximately three significant steps.

Apart from receiving two Grammys, Jones has also received star honors on both the Palm Springs Walkway of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

John Allan Jones was born on January 14th, 1938, in Hollywood, a city that was his home, as it was where his parents, singer Allan Jones and actress Irene Harvey, resided. Incidentally, on the same day, his father recorded his famous song “Donkey Serenade,” which became popular in the 1937 musical film “The Firefly,” a movie that featured senior Jones as one of its stars, as per John’s website.

During his time at University High School in West L.A., Jones pursued both drama and singing, receiving private tutoring from teachers hired by his father. One of his cherished memories from high school was the day when his friend Nancy Sinatra invited her famous father to perform at their school auditorium. This unforgettable experience fueled Jones’ determination to make a career as a professional singer.

A few weeks following his 1957 high school graduation, Jones initially began his professional career performing alongside his father’s act, first in Elko, Nevada, followed by the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas. Soon after, he embarked on a solo career.

His big chance arrived when a recording he made for songwriter Don Raye was discovered by Capitol Records, who subsequently signed him in 1959. It was there that he launched his career with his first album, titled “This Love of Mine,” as reported by The Desert Sun.

After experiencing creative disagreements with the original label, Jones switched to Kapp Records, where he debuted his initial chart-topper, “Lollipops and Roses,” in 1961. The song earned him his first Grammy Award in 1962 for outstanding solo vocal performance. (This version aims to maintain the original’s clarity while using more conversational language.)

Even though Jones was employed at a gas station during the day, he managed to release his debut album with Kapp Records. One exhilarating moment came when, while cleaning a customer’s windshield, he heard his own song playing on the radio. After that, Jones went on to produce 19 albums for Kapp Records and subsequently won another Grammy, for his 1963 single “Wives and Lovers”, which peaked at No. 14 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

In 1993, Kapp said he placed the melody on the reverse side of the single, but DJs flipped it around and played it regardless.

Following the song receiving criticism for its “offensive” motifs, Jones informed The Times that he changed the original lyrics “Hey little girl, do your hair, fix your makeup” to the revised verses “Hey, little boy, straighten your teeth, style your wig.

By the closing years of the 1960s, Jones shifted to RCA Victor and started adopting a more modern musical style. His 1969 album, “A Time for Us,” showcases covers of well-known songwriters such as Randy Newman, Carole King, and Gilbert O’Sullivan.

In the year 1980, Jones decided to quit smoking. This enabled him to maintain his melodious vocal abilities throughout his 80s. He frequently performed at casino nightclubs, as detailed by The Washington Post.

For several decades, Jones, a local of Coachella Valley, has been honored with a star on Palm Springs’ Walk of Stars, which he received in 2003. In 2018, during his 80th birthday celebration at McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, he jokingly remarked that since many of his musical peers had passed away, his goal was to become the world’s best singer “by default,” as reported by The Desert Sun.

Jones’ family includes his wife Eleonora Donata Peters, stepdaughters Nicole Whitty and Colette Peters, daughter Crystal Thomas (from his previous union with Katie Lee Nuckols), daughter Nicole Ramasco (from another marriage with Kim Ely), as well as three grandchildren.

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2024-10-25 03:01