Bessie Jones

Bessie Jones (1902 - 1984), gospel singer from the Georgia Sea Islands. She learned her songs from her grandfather, a former slave born in Africa. She was a founding member of the Georgia Sea Island Singers. Alan Lomax first encountered Bessie Jones on a southern trip in 1959. Jones made her way up to New York City two years later and asked Lomax to record both her music and biography.

Jones told an interviewer in Alachua, Florida in the early 1980's, that she was born in Lacrosse, Florida, (Alachua County), when that area was a tung oil production area. Jones also said she hadn't been to a doctor since 1925 and that she wore many copper bracelets which protected her from disease.

Partial discography

*"Southern Journey Recordings, V. 12, Georgia Sea Islands: Songs and Spirituals" (Rounder 1712)

*"Southern Journey Recordings, V. 13, Earliest Times: Georgia Sea Island: Songs for Everyday Living" (Rounder 1713).

*"Put Your Hand On Your Hip, and Let Your Backbone Slip: Songs and Games from the Georgia Sea Islands" (Rounder 11587) 2001

*"Step It Down" (Rounder) 1979

* "So Glad I'm Here" (Rounder 2015) 1974

External links

* [http://www.floridamemory.com/Collections/folklife/folklife_cd3.cfm Recording of Bessie Jones performing "Daniel in the Lion's Den" at the 1975 Florida Folk Festival; from the "Shall We Gather at the River" collection, made available free for public use by the State Archives of Florida]