A Listening Experience with Andrew “JrBoy” Jones and Kerrie Lepai

Tickets are $30. Email TexomaBluesSociety@gmail.com to purchase yours!

Andrew ‘Jr.Boy’ Jones

Andrew Bennie Jones, Jr., was born in Dallas, Texas,[2] to Andrew Bennie Jones, Sr. (1918–2010), and Gladys Scott Booker (maiden; 1917–2007). Gladys, in the 1940s, had been a singer with big bands that included the Southern Swingsters led by Adolphus Sneed (1915–2009), a saxophonist. But Gladys stopped when Andrew was born. Jones acquired his moniker from his grandmother.[5] Jones learned to play the guitar at a young age, and he joined Freddie King’s backing band, the Thunderbirds, at the age of seventeen and toured with them for a couple of years. In 1967, Jones became part of Bobby Patterson’s backing band, the Mustangs,[1] playing on a number of Patterson’s single releases. By the early 1970s, Jones had regular work in Dallas backing many musicians, plus he was tutored further in his guitar playing by Cornell Dupree.[2]

In 1973, Jones re-joined King’s backing ensemble, and played with him until King died in 1976. The latter part of the decade saw Jones create a soul group known as the Creators, who signed a recording contract with RCA Records. Penned by Jones, their 1979 single, “Blame It on Me”, was more successful on the Northern soul circuit in the UK than in his home country. He worked locally in the early 1980s, primarily backing R.L. Griffin and Hal Harris, before finding regular work with Johnnie Taylor until 1985.[2] In late 1987, he went to California joining Bobby Bland’s drummer, Tony Coleman, and B.B. King’s bassist, Russell Jackson, and played as the Silent Partners,[3] who backed Katie Webster both in concert and on her Swamp Boogie Queen (1988) album.[1] The trio became session musicians working with Charlie Musselwhite, with whom Jones remained until 1996. Jones toured the world in this period, and played on three Musselwhite albums; Ace of Harps (1990), Signature (1991), and In My Time (1993).[2]

In 1997, Jones issued his debut solo album, I Need Time, via JSP Records. This was followed the year after by Watch What You Say (Rounder Records), although that label association soon finished. However, following Watch What You Say’s release, Jones was nominated for a Blues Music Award for ‘Best New Blues Artist’. A live album, Jr. Boy Live was released in 2006 and Gettin’ Real, a more recent release appeared on the independent record label, Electro-Fi Records in 2009.

Kerrie Lepai

Kerrie Lepai Jones was born April 15, 1973, to the parents of Michael and Carol Lepai. At an early age she was always singing, and people that knew her knew she had the talent to sing. Later in life she would also sit in and sing at R.L. ‘s Blues Palace, that’s where she met Andrew Jr. Boy Jones. In between gigs with Charlie Musselwhite, he would sit in with R.L. Griffin’s band and sometimes play with her and her band The Shifters.
In 1995 Kerrie started hosting one of the hottest jams in Dallas at the Hole in the Wall Blues Club. The jam lasted for 15 years until the venue closed. She had the respect of the who’s who in the Dallas blues scene and musicians from all genres.*

* credit for information: TRBS, Blog, Musicians Corner, 1/2023

Jr.Boy and Kerrie: