Meet Jones

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jones, how do you think about risk?
Life is essentially about taking risks. A person takes risks -whether big or small- every day. Risk-taking in my career has allowed me to learn very valuable lessons on my journey to success. I don’t always end up on the perceived “winning” side of risk-taking, but there truly is no way to lose. Even without the desired outcome, there is an opportunity to learn from the things that didn’t go as planned.

Sometimes believing in and betting on yourself is more powerful than either desired outcome of the risk involved. Ultimately, taking risks has helped to shape my perspective on my career trajectory. It has taught me to be appreciative of the effort that I put forth; regardless of if I am where I want to be or not.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I truly believe what sets me apart as an artist is that I’m not walking around trying to maintain an image or a facade for the sake of entertainment. The beauty in it is that I’ve seen my successes being exactly who I am. The person that you hear in my music is the same person you would meet shopping at Walmart.

My goal is to keep the “human” aspect in my art. Many celebrities are viewed as perfect with no problems, no stress, and no struggles. I want to flip that narrative because there are many more people that can relate to everyday issues and those are the individuals that I am speaking for.

Was it easy? Absolutely not. That though, is why even the smallest of victories are so rewarding!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love this! It gives me the chance to highlight some of my favorite local eateries and places that have put support behind my artistry. One of the first places I would take someone to is Fairley’s Wings in downtown Hattiesburg, MS. The wings are always fried to perfection and the flavors are spot on. From the honey lemon pepper to the cajun ranch, I always make that one of my destinations when I’m coming thru town. That’s just breakfast though.

If wings weren’t the choice for lunch (and dinner) we’d go and visit my friends at O’Gumbo Southern Cuisine. What’s cool about this spot is they have a food truck and there is NO sacrifice in quality. From the Bang Bang Shrimp to the restaurant’s marquee item – the gumbo, there is no shortage of flavors or portion sizes. Then we can wash it all down with their secret recipe passionfruit lemonade.

For dessert, we will go and visit The Pound Cakery! Easily the best poundcakes/minipound cakes around. They are always so full of flavor and even stay moist days after being cut. There are at least 20 flavors and I’m sure I’ve tried nearly all of them at this point.

We then would take a quick ride down the highway to Vicksburg, MS to go and see my people at All Around Training to work off some of that good eating we’d been doing and break a sweat. To reward ourselves for our hard work, we’d visit Dee’s Babycakes and get some of her Hall of Fame Lemon Poundcake slices…. and maybe some wings too!

As the sunsets, we’d take a moment to sit atop one of the many hills in Vicksburg and overlook the Mississippi River to just appreciate the true beauty of creation. Then we’ll head over to X-Flames Bar and Groove for some nice drinks, good music, and fun with friends.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people that play or have played an integral part in my success story. I’d be remiss if I didn’t begin my shoutout with the person who recommended me for the interview, Frank Hall! I’ve been working with Frank for more than a decade in the entertainment space and he has helped me tremendously in solidifying my artistry in various markets.

At the risk of leaving out people, I’m really going to take this moment to emphasize my home support system. My wife has been amazing with her support of my musical journey. There are highs and lows in life and the constant traveling and work involved with being successful in music sometimes requires my time to be divided. I don’t always balance everything properly every time, but she keeps me grounded in the times my frustrations get the best of me.

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