Conrad Rodman "Connie" Jones III (March 22, 1934 – February 14, 2019 GOIN’ TO TISHOMINGO: A FEW WORDS FOR CONNIE JONES
/ref>) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist from New Orleans. Jones started playing the bugle while in military school, and later changed to trumpet at age 10. His first professional band was the Basin Street Six, a traditional New Orleans jazz group led by him and Pete Fountain. Fountain became Jones' long-time friend and collaborator. Before starting his own group, Jones played in the bands of

Billy Maxted William George Maxted (January 21, 1917 – October 11, 2001) was an American jazz pianist. Career Maxted began his career in 1937 as a member of the Red Nichols big band, for which he wrote arrangements. After three years, he played with Teddy ...

and Santo Pecora. He was also in

Jack Teagarden Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden (August 20, 1905 – January 15, 1964) was an American jazz trombonist and singer. According to critic Scott Yannow of Allmusic, Teagarden was the preeminent American jazz trombone player before the bebop era of the 19 ...

's group when Teagarden died in 1964. As a bandleader he played in the Blue Angel nightclub and later aboard the Mississippi steamboat ''

Delta Queen The ''Delta Queen'' is an American sternwheel steamboat. She is known for cruising the major rivers that constitute the tributaries of the Mississippi River, particularly in the American South, although she began service in California on the ...

''. In 2008, Jones recorded the album ''Creole Nocturne'' with pianist Tom McDermott. and "If Dreams Come True" in 2011 with clarinetist Tim Laughlin. Among his many television credits are '' The Today Show'', '' The Tonight Show'', and '' The Mike Douglas Show''. He was featured at venues worldwide, including The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the

Satchmo SummerFest Satchmo SummerFest (also known as Satchmofest) is an annual music festival held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in celebration of the jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong. It is held in early August in order to coincide with August 4, Armstrong's birthday ...

, the Evergreen Jazz Festival (to name a few) and Jones continued to perform at the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans until his retirement in 2016. His band (The Crescent City Jazz Band) was the opening act of the festival for nine years in a row, followed by a long run of openings by the Connie Jones All-Stars. Jones was also part of the festival's entertainment committee in 2009. Connie Jones is renowned as one of the most talented musicians to emerge from New Orleans and received an honorary degree from Loyola University in May 2012. He announced his retirement in April, 2016, and died in 2019.

Notes

1934 births 2019 deaths American jazz cornetists American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters Jazz musicians from New Orleans 21st-century trumpeters 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Dukes of Dixieland members {{US-jazz-trumpeter-stub