Dr Bobby Jones

Bobby Jones was born on September 18, 1938 in Henry County, Tennessee. From Humble beginnings and a rural southern background Bobby knew the importance of education and the love of God.  He excelled academically, graduating from high school at age fifteen and Tennessee State University at age nineteen, where he received his B.S. degree in elementary education. Jones went on to receive his M.Ed. degree from Tennessee State University and his Ed.D. degree from Vanderbilt University. He also graduated from Payne’s Theological Seminary with his Th.D. degree.

Form his love of Education Jones taught elementary students in the St. Louis Public Schools from 1959 to 1965, and Nashville Metropolitan Schools from 1966 to 1968. He then became a textbook consultant for McGraw Hill Publishers and worked as an instructor at Tennessee State University from 1974 to 1986. As a teacher, Jones helped develop the idea for a Black Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. During that effort, he introduced the pilot for what became “Bobby Jones Gospel” to WSM-TV in Nashville. WSM-TV picked up the show and it ran in Nashville from 1976 to 1980. Jones also created, produced and hosted “Bobby Jones’ World,” a magazine-style show that ran from 1978 to 1984.

In 1980, Black Entertainment Television premiered “Bobby Jones Gospel,” the longest continuously running original series on cable television, where Jones serves as host and executive producer. Jones then produced the show “Video Gospel,” which premiered on BET in 1986. He went on to produce and host several other shows, including The Word Television Network’s “Bobby Jones Gospel Classics” and “Bobby Jones Presents,” the BET Gospel Network’s “Let’s Talk Church,” and The Gospel Channel’s “Gospel Vignettes” and “Bobby Jones Next Generation”. He has also hosted “The Bobby Jones Radio Show” and “The Bobby Jones Gospel Countdown,” which have aired on The Sheridan Gospel Radio Network. Jones has toured with the musical group, New Life; he oversees The Nashville Super Choir; and, for twenty-four years, was host of “The Dr. Bobby Jones International Gospel Industry Retreat.” He has opened his own production studio in Nashville and is an instructor at Nova Southeastern University.

Dr. Bobby Jones touches the lives of any gospel loving Christian around the world his impact to the culture of African Americans cannot be matched. His legacy will live on as a character and testament of how God can move in your life if you just let him.

Elementary & High School – Henry and Paris, Tennessee, completed at age 15

Bachelor of Science Degree – Tennessee State University, completed at age 19

Master of Education – Tennessee State University

Doctor of Education – Vanderbilt University

Doctor of Theology – Payne’s Theological Seminary

National Reading Textbook Consultant, McGraw Hill Publishers, New York, NY

Teacher, St. Louis Public Schools, 1959-1965

Teacher, Nashville Metropolitan Schools, 1966-1968

Instructor, Tennessee State University, Reading Department, 1974-1986

Instructor, Nova Southeastern University, 2007 – 2009

Methodist (CME) Cole’s Chapel, Henry, Tennessee                           1940-1956

Baptist (Missionary) Temple Church, Nashville, Tennessee               1956-Current

NAACP

Tennessee State University Alumni Association

American Heart Association

American Diabetics Association

100 Black Men of America

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity

National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, Board of Directors

Music Consortium of Tennessee

Television

Black Entertainment Television, “Bobby Jones Gospel”, highest rated show on the network, the longest running show in the history of cable television, host and performer, 1980-2016 (35 years.)

Black Entertainment Television Network, “Video Gospel”, second highest rated show on the network for eighteen years, the second longest running show in the history of cable television producer & host, 1986 – 2001

The Word Television Network, “Bobby Jones Gospel Classics” and “Bobby Jones Presents”, 2001- 2006, producer & host

The Gospel Channel, “Gospel Vignettes”, 2006

Bobby Jones Next Generation 2008-current, host

The BET Gospel Network, “Let’s Talk Church”, 2002- 2004, producer & host

The Impact Television Network, “Bobby Jones Presents”, 2006 – current

Outstanding Awards & Honors

President Bush citation, “Revolutionized the Gospel Music Industry” 2001

The Gabriel Award, “Make a Joyful Noise” first Black Gospel Opera, 1980

The International Film Festival Award, 1980, “Make a Joyful Noise”

The Grammy Awards, “I’m So Glad I’m Standing Here Today”,1983

The Dove Awards, “I’m So Glad I’m Standing Here Today”, 1983

The Stellar Awards, “Outstanding Achievement Award”, 1996

The Stellar Award, “The James Cleveland Award”, 1998

The Stellar Awards, “The Living Legend Award”, 2005

The Sally Martin Award, (Mother of Gospel Music), 1987

The Thomas A. Dorsey Award, (Father of Gospel Music), 1987

Tom Joyner, “Hardest Working Man Award”, 2003

Bob Johnson’s “Chairman Award”, BET-TV, 2002

The Full Gospel Baptist Convention, “Trailblazer Award”, 2003

The Trumpet Awards, “Spiritual Award”, 2003, 2004, 2006

Congressman Al Edwards, “Unsung Hero Award”, 2003

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, “Outstanding Service Award”, 2003

Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, archived the “Master Works” of Dr. Bobby Jones, 1998

Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee, donated complete video library of Bobby Jones Gospel, as seen on Black Entertainment Television 1980 – 2001, appraisal value $6 million dollars

Special International Recognitions      Dr. Jones traveled to all countries

Beijing, China, attended the 2008 Olympics on behalf of Dominica, West Indies,

Bahamas Island, “Golden Vision Award”, 2005

Dominica, appointed “Ambassador at Large”, 2005

Perugia, Italy, The Umbria Jazz Festival, “Gospel at its Best”, toured entire nation, 1995- 2013

Fez, Morocco, the World Sacred Music Festival, 2000

Tokyo, Japan, The Japan Gospel Star Tour, and fifteen cities, 2001

Barbados Gospel Television Production (2 years), 1995-1996

De Den Hag, Holland The Holland Experience, (eight years), 1980-1988

Vienna, France, The French Connection, 2000

Barcelona, Madrid, Spain, The Spanish Gospel Special, 2001

Turks and Caicos Islands, Goodwill Recognition, 2002

Tobago, British West Indies, “Contribution to the Music Industry”, 2004

Cape Town, Johannesburg, South Africa, “Christians Against Apartheid”, 1984

London, England, BET Television Special, 1991

Melbourne, Australia, Umbria Jazz Festival, 2005

The Ivory Coast, Africa, Gospel Music Tour, 1992 and 1993

Anguilla, British West Indies, “Gospel Radio Live”, 2005

Jerusalem, Israel, International Television Promotions for Israel for 96 countries, featuring twenty-six Holy sites.

Israel, Traveled with Senator Albert Gore on a “fact finding mission” of the Jewish Nation, baptized Tipper Gore in the River of Jordan.

Television

IMPACT TELEVISION NETWORK – 2006 – Current

BET:1980-2016 (35 years)

Radio

AURN American Urban Radio Network 2001- Current

The Sheridan Gospel Network, “The Bobby Jones Gospel Countdown”, current

The Sheridan Gospel Network, The Light, “Bobby Jones Radio Show”, current​

Gospel Education Components

Gospel Industry Retreat 1990

Books

Touched by God, Simon/Schuster, Pocket Books, 1998

Make A Joyful Noise, My Twenty-Five Years in Gospel Music, St. Martin’s Press, 2000

Movie & Stage Play

Sister, Sister, Movie written by Dr. Maya Angelou, starring Diahann Carroll, Paul Winfield, Irene Cara and Roslyn Cash, 1984, Joyful Noel, Stage plays written and directed by Walter Rutledge, starring Tramaine Hawkins and Ricky Dillard, 2005

Dirty Laundry, Movie written by Maurice Jamal, starring Rockmond Dunbar, Loretta Devine and Jenifer Lewis, 2009

Discography

“Sooner or Later”, Benson Music Group, 1978

“There’s Hope for This World”, Nashboro Creed Records, 1979

“Caught Up”, Nashboro Creed Records, 1980

“Soul Set Free”, Word Records, 1982

“Come Together”, Word Records, 1984….Grammy Award, Dove Award

“Tin Gladje” Stockholm, Sweden, 1985

“I’ll Never Forget”, Malaco Records, 1989

“Another Time”, Light Records, 1990

“Bring It to Jesus”, Tyscot Records, 1995

“Just Churchin”, Gospocentric Records, 1998

“Live in Perugia, Italy, Liquid 8 Records, 2004

“Faith Unscripted”, 2007

“The Ambassador”, Zomba Music Group, 2007

“Rejoice with Me”, Echo park, JDI Records, 2013

Gospel Educational Components

Bobby Jones Gospel Explosions, Training for television production, 1990-current

International Gospel Industry Retreat, Training, Association and Informing artists for the gospel industry, 1995 – 2010

So many people filled crucial roles in the life and career of Bobby Jones, it would take a book to list them all. However, some very special ones must be mentioned.

Jim and Augusta Jones (parents), Lula and James Jones (brother and sister), Ethel Williams, Robert Johnson, Dr. Maya Angelou, Mrs. Eva Childress, Johnny Tharpe, Barbara Mandrell, Louis Farrakhan, Jessie Jackson, Dr. Ruby Martin, Gerry Jones, Derrick Lee, Richard Manson, Lewis Gibbs, Albertina Walker, Ron Davenport, Jr., Xernona Clayton, Azell Futrell, Thomas Dortch, and Rudolph King, are just a few.

Bobby Jones comes from a rural poor background, he worked unyieldingly to bring his love for gospel music to the world. It could be said that he is a simple country boy that loves the Lord, his family, his friends, his fans, and his supporters. One that has a tremendous love for gospel music, television, radio and stage. One that has sought to unite a part of this world in peace and love and will always do whatever he can to contribute to the betterment of humanityShareTwitter