Mel Jones

Mel Jones, born & raised in Chapel Hill, NC with the blues in his blood, toured as a drummer and singer performing rock & roll and rhythm & blues for years in the Southeast before he discovered the hotbed of bluegrass and old time music deep in the heart of Western North Carolina. Picking up harmonica and venturing on to a new realm of music proved to be just another stop on the musical path for Jones. He formed the first Bag O’Bones and the Piedmont blues duo of Wicker and Jones with finger style guitarist Danny Wicker in the early 1990’s and began a new career in acoustic music. Now he finds himself soulfully connected to traditional blues combining all his musical influences to create well-rounded performances that prove blues, jazz, and a little humor go a long way. The "Bones" have taken on many forms to become the powerhouse masters of acoustic blues that they showcase today. Jones has established himself as one of the region’s best harmonica players by winning numerous titles in regional festivals and earning a solid reputation for showmanship. He is also an accomplished songwriter, with recordings that feature much of his original work in Livin’ Bones, Blues from the Porch, When the Alligators Come to Town, and Bones to Pick.