Earl Rodney Jones, legendary radio personality, DJ, and Bluseologist, died on Friday, January 2, 2004 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana of lung cancer at the age of 75.
Earl Rodney Jones, legendary radio personality, DJ, and Bluseologist, died on Friday, January 2, 2004 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana of lung cancer at the age of 75. E. Rodney Jones was born on August 8, 1927 in Texarkana, Arkansas and is considered to be one of the founding Fathers of black radio. He played a major role in popularizing Blues and Southern Soul Music and helped numerous artists, including BB King and Muddy Waters to reach mainstream audiences, and introduced the Blues and the Southern Soul Sound to many generations of new radio listeners. E. Rodney Jones was inducted as a member of the Black Radio Hall of Fame, the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Living Legend Award in the Radio Smithsonian Institute. His half century of broadcast excellence' included two decades at Chicago's WVON, a station owned by the famous blues and rock 'n' roll record label, Chess, plus many years at WXOK-AM radio station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. E. Rodney Jones & Larry & The Hippies Band produced and released a classic blues 45 entitled, "Right On, Right On".