Музыкант Вернон Джонс выпустит новый альбом в честь памяти своей жены

Vernon Jones will release new album on Sept. 18 “The feeling of a lifetime, will take you by surprise. “Completely change the universe, before your very eyes. “The feeling of a lifetime will never let you go … Musician and songwriter Vernon Jones of Pittston wrote those words in honor of his wife, Diane, who passed away in October 2018. “Feeling of a Lifetime” is part of his new album, “Be the Wonder of It All,” set to be released on Sept. 18, which would have been her 77th birthday. “She was my best friend,” Jones reminisced during a recent interview. “Loving. Understanding. Supportive. Funny.” All that, and she was a great singer, too, he said, noting Diane performed professionally with the jazz group “The Velvet Touch” and with the wedding and party band “Reflections.” She also led the groups “Friends, featuring Diane” and “Diane Dixon & Turning Point,” and the couple often sang together at Pocono resorts and appeared close to home as the duo “Windfall” at the Pittston Tomato Festival and Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market. “Thirty-three years, we got to be together,” he said. “Yeah, it makes me sad, but I’m also grateful.” When Vernon Jones was working on his debut album “Legacy” in the 1990s, he remembers, Diane would have been happy to have him sing all the songs solo. “She loved everything I did,” he said with a smile. “But what kind of a jerk would I be if I didn’t have her sing (too)?” He remembers the thrill of the couple receiving a call from radio station WWDL, when the staff had called to say they were playing songs from the album over the air. “Love of My Life,” which the couple sang together, was the first one the radio station chose to play. “… With every beat of my heart, every breath that I take, I’m so glad that I finally found you,” the couple sang as a duet. “I believe in a greater power that directs everything that goes on,” Vernon Jones said, explaining he regards meeting his future wife and getting to know her as “the universe answered my prayer. Manifestations do happen.” “She was more than a singer,” he described Diane Jones, adding she meant so much to people, they would come out to hear her sing even when, let’s say, rain was pouring down on an outdoor venue and there was no protective roof. “They’d be sitting in the chairs with their umbrellas,” he said with a smile. Vernon Jones, who used to play tenor sax for the 9-member show-and-dance group The Gentlemen and Their Lady, points to artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Michael McDonald and Robert Palmer as influencing his work. He also said the women in his life have inspired him. While he dedicated the song “Feeling of a Lifetime” to the memory of his wife, another song on his new album (which will be available on digital streaming platforms) is a tribute to his late mother, Hattie. That number is called “Get Off Your Butt!” and reminds him of things she would say to motivate her son when he was growing up in Virginia. “My life is guided by the women who influenced me,” Jones said, remembering his mother bought his first saxophone when he was in eighth grade. As Jones continues to work on his music in his home studio, he plays the saxophone and keyboard every day. And, at “73 years young,” he’s still performing. One recent appearance was on opening night of the 2026 Pittston Tomato Festival, when he performed with “The Chosen Few” trio, covering songs like “Crystal Blue Persuasion” and “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl).” Local journalism matters, and your support makes it possible. You can help sustain this work by making a donation or choosing one of our subscription options. Subscribers enjoy valuable benefits, including full access to our e-edition, a reduced ad experience on timesleader.com, and more. Your support helps ensure independent, high-quality local news remains available today and for future generations. Thank you for standing with local journalism.