Isham Jones
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Born

  • January 31, 1894
  • Coalton, OH

Died

  • October 19, 1956
  • Hollywood, CA

Theme Song

  • You're Just a Dream Come True

Isham Jones

Isham Jones led one of the most popular dance bands of the 1920s and early 1930s. A somber, austere individual, Jones molded his orchestra into a solid outfit whose warm, rich, flowing tones inspired many future bandleaders. Jones was also a songwriter, penning such memorable tunes as ''It Had To Be You'' and ''The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else.''

Jones worked in the coal fields of Michigan as a child, leading blind mules into the mines. His father was a fiddler, and Jones took up the instrument also. He would often play while at work. After causing an accident while on the job one day he quit and decided to devote himself to music instead. He published his first song at age 12 and lead a small band at his local church.

In 1915 Jones moved to Chicago and began a career as a successful composer. After a stint in the military during WWI he joined a local dance hall orchestra as a saxophonist. The group eventually made Jones their leader and soon began to record for Brunswick. Aside from their own recordings the band also backed Al Jolson and Marion Harris.

In 1925 Jones took his orchestra to New York, where they first received radio exposure. In 1932 they signed with Victor and two years later with Decca. Members of the group at various times included such future stars as Woody Herman, Gordon Jenkins, Roy Bargy, PeeWee Erwin, Johnny Carlson, and Jack Jenney. Jones used a variety of vocalists for his early recording engagements. In later years, though, vocalists included Herman, Frank Hazzard, Frank Sylvano, Eddie Stone, and Joe Martin.

In 1936 Jones decided to retire from the music industry due to health problems. He settled on a ranch in Colorado. His musicians, however, chose to continue together, forming a cooperative and electing Herman as leader. They went on to become famous as Herman's Herd.

Jones returned to the music business in the 1940s and formed a new orchestra. It never achieved the level of musicianship or public recognition as his older group, though. Vocalists included Marion Thorne and Curt Massey (who later sang the theme song for the television series Petticoat Junction). The new orchestra recorded on the Coast and Bantam labels. Jones died from cancer in 1956.