Collection of material relating to the musical and educational careers of Chicago blues musician Fernando Jones.

Jones, Fernando (1964-)

Born in Chicago on February 7, 1964, Fernando Jones began his foray into musicianship at age four when he taught himself to play his brother’s guitar—a near-inevitable move, for Jones’ family includes brothers Greg Jones and Foree “Superstar” Montgomery as well as cousin Lefty Dizz. By six years old, he was writing and performing songs in his parents’ living room. Since that time has established himself as a full-time advocate for the blues. He has written and published several works on the Blues (including plays and film scripts, articles, and monographs). Mr. Jones has received a number of awards for his efforts in the preservation of Blues culture including a Keeping the Blues Alive Award in 2008. Jones has held a professorship in Music at Columbia College Chicago since 2005 and serves as Director of the Columbus College Blues Ensemble (the nation’s first collegiate group of its kind). Outside of the College, he has continued his commitment to education by forming the Blues Kids Foundation and Camps, interdisciplinary, multicultural programs which use music to increase literacy in children across the country and introduce a new generation to blues music.