Barbara Jones
Birth nameBarbara Nation
Bornc. 1952
Kingston, Jamaica
Died19 December 2014 (aged 62)
Kingston, Jamaica
GenresReggae, gospel
Years active1971–2014
LabelsTrojan, GG's, Dynamic, VP

Barbara Nation (c. 1952 – 19 December 2014), better known as Barbara Jones, was a Jamaican singer who had a UK hit single in 1981 with "Just When I Needed You Most".

Career

Born in Kingston and raised in Manchester, Jamaica, she began her career in 1971 with the single "Sad Movies".[1] She had her greatest success in January 1981 with "Just When I Needed You Most", which reached number 31 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]

She toured as backing singer with Jimmy Cliff in the late 1970s and early 1980s;[1] In 1991, she became a devout Christian and gave up secular music to concentrate on gospel music.[1][3]

After becoming ill in London, she was diagnosed with leukaemia in February 2014.[1] She returned to reggae with performances in Brazil with Lloyd Parks.[4] Her health deteriorated and she died in Kingston's University Hospital of the West Indies on 19 December 2014, from pneumonia contracted during chemotherapy treatments. She was 62 years old.[1][5]

Jones was once described as "the Billie Holliday of reggae music".[6]

Discography

  • Don't Stop Loving Me (1979), GG's
  • My Love: Just When I Needed You Most (1980), Rhino
  • Sings Hit Songs In Reggae Style (1983), Top Rank
  • You're Always On My Mind (1984), Dynamic
  • 10 Million Sellers In Reggae (1985), Top Rank
  • Need to Belong (1985), EAD
  • Will It Last Forever, Hit
  • For Your Ears Only (1994), Jamaican Gold
  • The Two of Us, Park Height - Phillip James feat. Barbara Jones
  • Jesus Is Calling (2000), VP
  • Thank You Lord for Your Blessing (2005), Silver Lining
  • So Much to Thank Him For (2005), Silver Lining
  • Use Me Lord (2011), Nylahs Gospel Music
Compilations
  • Best of Barbara Jones (1976), Trojan
  • Sad Movies (1997), Charly
  • Just When I Needed You Most: The Best of Barbara Jones (2004), Trojan
  • Blue Side of Lonesome (2007), Jet Star/Zone Entertainment

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Campbell, Howard (2014) "Gospel singer Barbara Jones dies at 62", Jamaica Observer, 23 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014
  2. ↑ "Barbara Jones", Official Charts Company; retrieved 24 December 2014
  3. ↑ Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2013) "Barbara Jones still giving thanks", Jamaica Observer, 17 March 2013; retrieved 24 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2014) "Barbara Jones gets her groove back in Brazil", Jamaica Observer, 8 June 2014; retrieved 24 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Gospel Singer Barbara Jones Is Dead", Jamaica Gleaner, 19 December 2014; retrieved 24 December 2014
  6. ↑ Hebdige, Dick (1987) Cut `n' Mix: Culture, Identity and Caribbean Music, Routledge; ISBN 978-0415058759, p. 121
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