Paul Jones

Paul Jones (born Paul Adrian Pond, 24 February 1942) is an English singer, actor, harmonicist, radio personality and television presenter. He first came to prominence as the original lead singer and harmonicist of the rock band Manfred Mann (1962–1966) with whom he had several hit records including "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" (UK #1, US #1) and "Pretty Flamingo" (UK #1).

After leaving the band, Jones established a solo career and starred as a deified pop star in the 1967 film Privilege. In 1979, he formed The Blues Band, and toured with them until their breakup in 2022. He presented The Blues Show on BBC Radio 2 for 33 years, from 1985 to 2018, and continues to perform alongside former Manfred Mann bandmates in The Manfreds.

Paul Jones was born Paul Adrian Pond in Portsmouth, Hampshire, son of Norman Henry Pond and Amelia Josephine, née Hadfield, later of Worthing, West Sussex.

Jones attended The Portsmouth Grammar School, moving to the Edinburgh Academy for his last two years of school before winning an Open Exhibition in English to Jesus College, Oxford, although he did not graduate.

Jones began singing in the early 1960s as "P.P. Jones", where he performed duets with Elmo Lewis who was later better known as future founder member of the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones at the Ealing Club, home of Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, whose singers included Long John Baldry and Mick Jagger. He was asked by Keith Richards and Brian Jones to be the lead singer of a group they were forming, but he turned them down.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.