Rickie Lee Jones American singer, musician, songwriter and producer Date of Birth: 08.11.1954 Country: USA

1. Biography of Rickie Lee Jones
2. Early Life and Childhood
3. Early Years and Music Career
4. Breakthrough and Career Success
5. Later Career and Personal Life

Biography of Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee Jones is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and producer. Over the course of her musical career spanning more than three decades, Jones has recorded albums in various genres including rock, rhythm and blues, pop, soul, blues, and jazz standards.

Early Life and Childhood

Rickie Lee Jones was born on November 8, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up with her brother Danny and sister Janet. Jones has Welsh, Irish, and Dutch roots. Her paternal grandparents were performers in variety shows, traveling around the country with their four children. However, when Rickie's father Richard Loris Jones was four years old, his mother tragically died in a truck accident. Rickie's grandfather placed the boys in a boarding school, and Richard ran away at the age of twelve, living as a vagabond, appearing in short films, serving in the army, and fighting in World War II, before finally returning to Chicago. Rickie grew up hearing stories from her father, which became rich material for her future songs.

Early Years and Music Career

In 1959, the family moved to Pomona, California, where Rickie's younger uncle lived, and the following year they relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, where they moved to a new home every year. Rickie took ballet and acting lessons, learned tap dancing and swimming, and even became a swimmer for the Amateur Athletic Union. In 1965, her brother was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, losing a leg and suffering a traumatic brain injury, which greatly impacted Rickie's upbringing. She celebrated her 11th birthday in the hospital and spent three months by her brother's bedside. This experience made a lasting impression on the sporty and diligent girl, turning her into a reclusive teenager. Soon after, Rickie tried drugs for the first time and became addicted to them.

She made her first public performance at the age of 21 with the rock band 'Easy Money,' consisting of nine members. She then sang with 'Top 40 band' and other groups. In 1977, she was noticed by rock journalist Stann Findelle, who wrote about the talented young performer in 'Performance Magazine.' In 1978, Rickie got a manager, auditioned for several major labels, and signed a contract with Warner Bros. Records. Thanks to the label, Rickie appeared on both live shows and a 12-minute music video, which consisted of three of her songs, in which she played the role of a sweet neighbor girl. Five months later, she performed twice at Carnegie Hall.

Breakthrough and Career Success

In 1979, Rickie Lee Jones released her debut self-titled album on Warner Bros. Records, which achieved overwhelming success. It reached the 3rd position on the American charts and made it to the 18th spot in the UK charts. Following the album's success, she embarked on a concert tour across the United States and Europe. During this period, Rickie started a romantic relationship with composer Tom Waits. They were inseparable for a while, with Tom accompanying his beloved on tour and following her to Los Angeles. However, when director Francis Ford Coppola asked Rickie to work with Tom on his film 'One from the Heart' (1982), she declined, citing their recent breakup. Waits tried to persuade her, but the singer refused again. A month later, Tom met his future wife, and Rickie never spoke to him again.

After a successful world tour, appearing on the cover of 'Rolling Stone' magazine, and receiving five Grammy Award nominations, one of which she won, Rickie became a star. She moved to New York and spent most of 1981 recording her new album, 'Pirates,' which reached the 5th position on the American charts. She then returned to California and settled in San Francisco.

Later Career and Personal Life

Over the span of 30 years, from 1979 to 2009, Rickie Lee Jones released 15 albums. However, the generation born after 1990 is unlikely to know who she is since her career declined in the 90s. Nevertheless, critics acknowledge that Jones has had a significant influence on many contemporary jazz and pop music stars. She gradually transitioned from commercial music to more complex and experimental forms, highly regarded by connoisseurs but less known to the general public. After the release of her album 'Ghostyhead' in 1997, Rickie disappeared from the public eye and spent most of her time in her home in Olympia, Washington, tending to her garden and raising her daughter.