William Harry Jones (November 20, 1949 – February 7, 1995) was an American guitarist and singer best known as a founding member of the Outlaws. Jones was a major contributor to the discography and commercial success of the Outlaws.

Hughie Thomasson Hugh Edward "Hughie" Thomasson Jr. (August 13, 1952 – September 9, 2007) was an American guitarist and singer, best known as a founding member of Outlaws. The band found success in the late 1970s and early 1980s with a string of hits. He was ...

invited him to join the Outlaws after seeing him perform. Jones grew up in Tampa, FL but lived for a long time in Boulder, Colorado. While in high school he was a track star holding the record in the

440-yard dash The 440-yard dash, or quarter-mile race, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. In many countries, athletes compete in the 440 yard dash (402.336 m) – which corresponds to a quarter mile. Many athletic tracks are 440 yards ...

. A very talented musician, he played drums, keyboards and guitar. He was offered a scholarship to

Juilliard School of Music The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

but turned it down, electing to attend the

University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF is ...

. He was a math major and graduated near the top of his class. He taught and tutored math for a while and contemplated teaching full time, but music was Jones's calling. He recorded one album with a band called H.Y. Sledge before joining Outlaws. He was initially brought on as a keyboardist but soon switched to lead guitar, helping crystallize the trademark Outlaws sound. After touring the Outlaws hit album '' Ghost Riders,'' he was asked to leave the band due to substance abuse. In February 1995, Jones died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He is buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Tampa, Florida.

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PictureTrail: Billy Jones
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Billy Outlaws (band) members 1949 births Suicides by firearm in Florida 1995 suicides 20th-century American guitarists Guitarists from Michigan American male guitarists 20th-century American male musicians Musicians from Ann Arbor, Michigan