Jack Jones

John Allan Jones (January 14, 1938 – October 23, 2024) was an American singer and actor. He was primarily a straight-pop singer (even when he recorded contemporary material) whose forays into jazz were mostly of the big-band/swing music variety. He won two Grammy Awards and received five additional nominations. Notably, he sang the opening theme song for the television series The Love Boat.

Jones continued to perform concerts around the world and in Las Vegas. His most popular recordings include "Lollipops and Roses", "Call Me Irresponsible", "Wives and Lovers", "The Race Is On", "A Day in the Life of a Fool", and "The Impossible Dream". He also sang the opening theme for the 1968 war film Anzio ("This World Is Yours") as well as the title song for the 1963 film Love with the Proper Stranger, which played on a radio in the film contributing to the storyline.

Jack Jones was born in Hollywood, California, the morning after his father, Allan, recorded his signature song "The Donkey Serenade", for RCA Victor, resulting in the younger Jones' assertion that he was "practically born in a trunk." Jack attended University High School in West Los Angeles and studied drama and singing. His mother was actress Irene Hervey.

Jack Jones' first professional break was with his father, who was performing at the Thunderbird Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Jack recorded several demos for songwriter Don Raye, attracting attention from the music industry. In 1959, he was signed to Capitol Records and released the album This Love of Mine and a few singles. The album was a flop, and the label dropped him soon after.

While performing at a San Francisco nightclub, Jack Jones was heard by Pete King, a producer and artist for Kapp Records, who quickly signed him to the label. In August 1961, Jones recorded the ballad "Lollipops and Roses" written by Tony Velona, which became his first hit the next year. His biggest pop hit was "Wives and Lovers" in 1963, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Both recordings earned him Grammy Awards for Best Vocal Performance, Male. The album Wives and Lovers was successfully released while the title track was still on the singles charts.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.