Artists – J

LP by musical due The Jackson Brothers, released through Crusade Enterprises/Operation Evangelize.

The Jackson Brothers consisted of Marv Westfall on bass and Art Bush on guitar. Several of the songs on this LP were written by Art Bush - Higher, I Ain't Got Time, Song of Salvation, and Sing Somebody.

The Jackson Brothers released a handful of other LPs through Crusade, including Just A Man, A New Season, and Nobody Cared. Sing Somebody was their fourth LP for the label.

You can find out more about Art Bush on his website at artbushministry.com

Country gospel singer Lois Jane's LP Across The Bridge, released on Big Gospel Records.

Based on the dates on the back of the LP jacket I would estimate that this record was released between 1967-1969. Lois Jane has been releasing gospel record on and off since then, most of them self-released. The record label, Big Gospel, was based in Nashville, Tennessee and was active in the 1960s and 1970s. The LP was produced by Wally Fowler and Rick Shea. Wally Fowler, who is pictured with Lois on the back cover, was a gospel musician who formed the Oak Ridge Quartet, a precursor to the Oak Ridge Boys. No information about the instrumentalists is included on the jacket.

1977 LP released on SyDee Records.

Dolores passed away in 2021 at the age of 91 and was active in the California motorcycle community. All songs on this LP are credited as being composed by Dolores. Most of the players on this LP are family members, and I cannot find any information about them online.It is unclear if Dolores is related to them, as the family of musicians have the last name Scott.

From the back cover of the LP jacket:

"Dolores, a motorcycle enthusiast, has written many of her songs while touring Northern California on her motorcycle. In March on 1975 she received the annual AMA award of 'Most Popular Female Rider of the Year' in the United States.

Willie Scott, features in 'I Wanna Go Back', is a very unique and talented musician. He is a life member of the AFMU and is well known and loved for his musical ability. He has played on many TV and radio programs, and has performed with a variety of other musicians. For several years he broadcasted his own radio program from Santa Rosa. Featured on this album with his daughters, Jeanine and Linda, and his son Clancy, he plays lead and rhythm guitar as well as the electric bass.

Jeanine is featured in 'Catfish' and 'My Song.' She is a graduate of Vallejo Junior College and attended Simpson College in San Francisco. She plays a variety of instruments and has been singing and playing most of her life. She is currently working for CCC.

Clancy, featured on 'Us Lonely People', contributes beautiful tenor vocals to this album. He plays several brass instruments and has been involved in some kind of music most of his life. He is a graduate of Napa Valley Junior College and will be attending Solano Community College in the RN program in the spring.

Linda, featured in the song 'Scuba Man' and 'Can You Be', is a mother and housewife. She played the woodwind instruments and has a beautiful alto voice."

Additional musicians on the LP include Don Paul on steel guitar, Doc Quam on fiddle and mandolin, and Mark Newsom on drums.

I can't find any information online about Jim or Ann Allen. Almost all information mentioned here is pieced together from the back of the LP jacket.

Jim and Ann Allen are gospel singers based in Greenville, South Carolina. At the time of this albums release they attended the Cross Roads Baptist Church in Seneca, South Carolina.

Based on some of the dates mentioned on the back of the LP jacket, this LP was recorded sometime in 1972 or later. It was recorded at Mark Five Studios in Greeneville, South Carolina, a studio that recorded many gospel (and some secular) acts from the 1960s through the 1990s. Joe Huffman is credited on the record and, according to Discogs, he left Mark Five Studios in 1974, meaning this LP was likely recorded in either 1972, 1973, or 1974. Roughly half of the songs on the LP are credited as being written by Jim Allen. Additional musicians on the LP include Otis Forrest on keyboard, Buster Phillips on drums, Joe Huffman on guitar, and Harold Huffman on bass. All of these folks appear to be session players who were associated with Mark Five Studios at the time.

Description coming soon!

1979 LP from Champaign, Illinois singer-songwriter John Johnston, released on Mr. J Music.

As far as I can tell this was Johnston's first LP. He released at least one other, Foolin' Around in 1980. This LP was recorded at Crusade Studios in Flora, Illinois and was engineered by Bill Casolari.

According to slipcue.com John Johnston and Bill Casolari also produced an LP for Wayne Johnson & The Deep River Band in 1982, released on DRB Records. He may have passed away in 1988, but I can't confirm that it was the same John Johnston. I can't find any other information online about Johnston's life or career.

Description coming soon!

Album circa 1988 from Chillicothe, Ohio country singer Doug Jones, released on Sagegrass Records.

Based on the scant information I can find on Doug Jones, he enjoyed some success in the country music world - performing on the Grand Ole Opry and opening for artists like George Jones, Ronnie Milsap, tom T. Hall, and Crystal Gayle. However, I can't find any evidence of his albums/singles anywhere else online! Here's everything I know:

Doug Jones is from Chillicothe, Ohio and started out in a family gospel band called The Zioneers. recorded at least two full-length albums during his career: Solid Country (this one) and Chasing The Dream. According to an article in the The Chillicote Gazette, Chasing The Dream was put together by a fraudulent producer who took Jones' money and never promoted the LP. The article implies that the LP was actually pressed, and the Jones threw away "about 900" copies - I don't know if any copies ever made it into circulation.

In addition to those LPs he released at least four singles - "The Ring", "California Sunshine", "You're One Heaven of a Woman", and "Chasing The Dream". He spent some time in the late 1980s performing at the Little Nashville Opry in Nashville, Indiana. As of 2020/2021 he was still performing at venues around Ohio, but I can't find anything beyond 2021.

Outside of performing country music, Jones worked for Kenworth Truck Co.

This album was produced by Bobby Fisher and was engineered Dennis Hensley. It was recorded at Sagegrass Records in Covington, Kentucky. Musicians on the LP include Charles Novell on piano, Chuck Rich on steel guitar, Dennis Hensley Jr. on bass, Tim Short on drums, Bobby Fisher on guitar, and Junior Bennett on fiddle.

1968 LP from country/bluegrass musician Rudy Q. Jones, released on Warrior Records

Rudy Q Jones (1943-2015) was a musician and builder of dobros/resonator guitars. According to his obituary, two dobros he built and in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Jerry Douglas said that the dobro he played on sessions between 1985 and 2000 was one built by Rudy Q Jones. As far as I can tell, this is the only LP released by Rudy Q. Jones. He is credited on bass for LeRoy NcNess and Steve Hatfield's 1971 LP Life's Railway To Heaven. Discogs also credits him on various instruments on the 1985 LP Glimpse of Heaven from Ed and Joel Bullard.

Players on the LP include Rudy Q. Jones on vocals and rhythm guitar, Gary Carlon on lead guitar/tenor vocals, LeRoy McNess on dobro, Roger Bush on bass/bass vocals, and Dennis Coats on banjo/vocals. The LP was produced by Dennis Coats and Gary Carlson.

LP from North Carolina country-gospel group The Journeymen And Kathleen.

The group consisted of Charles and Kathleen Coxie, their daughter Lynn, and Kathleen's brother Ernest Lowe.

Instrumentalists on the LP are the 'Mark Five Staff Musicians' and are Otis Forrest on piano, Pee Wee Melton on rhythm guitar, Joe Huffman on lead guitar, Harold Huffman on bass, Tommy Dodd on steel guitar, and Buster Phillips on Drums.

1970s LP from Tennessee country-gospel duo The Joyful Sounds.

The Joyful Sounds consisted of Betty Baker and Linda Babb and they released a handful of LPs in the 1960s and 1970s. I can find at least five LPs bearing their name, this being their third, but there may be more. At different points in time the lineup consisted of Betty Baker, Kaye Anderson, Linda Babb, and Margaret Dingus. Also on this LP is Betty's sister Shirley Baker Jones, but it's unclear if she is an actual member of the group or not.

As recently as 2011 I found evidence online of 'Betty Baker and The Joyful Sounds' performing in Tennessee.

Players on the LP include Dickie Mathews on piano, Herb Wallace on steel guitar, Tom Parnell on bass, and Calvin Carnes on drums. The LP was engineered by John Currence.