Kelly Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kelly Jones
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Kelly Jones at a charity concert in Cardiff, 2005
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| Born | 3 June 1974 Cwmaman, Wales
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| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Jakki Healy
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 4 |
| Musical career | |
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| Instruments | |
| Labels | Stylus Records |
Kelly Jones (born 3 June 1974) is a talented Welsh musician. He is best known as a founding member, lead singer, and guitarist of the famous rock band Stereophonics.
Contents
Kelly Jones: Early Life and Music
Growing Up in Wales
Kelly Jones was born in a small Welsh village called Cwmaman. He was the youngest of three boys. His parents, Beryl and Arwyn Jones, worked in factories. Kelly's father, Arwyn, also had a passion for singing and even had a record deal. He was known as 'Arwyn Davidson' in the music world.
As a child, Kelly was interested in sports. His uncle, who was a boxing referee, got him into boxing. Kelly even competed at a high level in South Wales. Later, he played football for his county.
Starting a Band
Kelly grew up in Cwmaman and became good friends with his neighbors, Stuart Cable and Richard Jones. In 1992, these three friends decided to form a band. At first, they played cover songs by other artists.
Kelly also had a strong talent for writing. He studied film in college and thought about becoming a scriptwriter. However, he soon focused on music. As his band started writing their own songs, Kelly used his storytelling skills to create amazing lyrics. Their first album, Word Gets Around, released in 1997, included songs about his own life, like "More Life in a Tramps Vest", which talks about his teenage years working at a market stall.
Kelly Jones' Music Career
In 1996, after playing many shows in South Wales, Stereophonics became the first band to sign with Richard Branson's new record label, V2. Their first EP, Looks Like Chaplin, was not widely released. Their next single, Local Boy in the Photograph, almost made it into the UK top 50.
However, their first album, Word Gets Around, became very popular. The band toured a lot, even supporting another Welsh band, Manic Street Preachers. This helped their album reach number 6 on the UK Albums Chart.
In January 2005, Kelly Jones performed a solo set at the Tsunami Relief Cardiff charity concert. This big event took place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Other Music Projects
In 2007, Kelly Jones released his first solo album, Only the Names Have Been Changed. It was a special limited edition and quickly reached number 1 on the iTunes download chart. Kelly explained that he started writing these songs while recording a Stereophonics album. He said, "I started doing these songs off the cuff. Three or four tracks in, I realised that this could actually be something." This made some people wonder if he would leave Stereophonics, but he said he would not.
In 2023, Kelly started a new project called Far from Saints. He teamed up with Patty Lynn and Dwight Baker from the American band the Wind and the Wave. They released their first album, called Far from Saints.
Musical Style and Influences
Kelly Jones is inspired by many great musicians. Some of his influences include Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and the Sex Pistols. He is known for his unique, raspy voice. Some people describe it as a "whiskey" voice. This voice has received both praise and criticism over the years.
Kelly Jones' Personal Life
Kelly Jones is married to Jakki Healy. They have two children together. Kelly also has two other children.
Because his older brothers, Kevin and Lee, loved football, Kelly has always been a big fan of Leeds United Football Club.
Images for kids
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Kelly Jones in July 2007
