JW-Jones - Canada's Top Touring Blues Act

Timeline

(NEEDS UPDATING FROM 2008 ONWARD... THANKS FOR VISITING!)

2007

Met James Cotton (August 2007)

Recorded with Little Charlie Baty, Junior Watson, Richard Innes, and Larry Taylor, for 5th CD (July 2007)

Performed for largest audience of career (surpassed 20,000), at Safeway Waterfront Bluesfest, Portland, OR.. 40,000+ in attendance (July 4, 2007)

Longest tour in band history - 3 months spanning Canada, U.S.A., and Europe (May, June, July, August 2007)

European Tour - NOR, DK, SWE, BEL, GER (April 2007)

First show as a three-piece - Kaffe 1870 - Wakefield, QC (March 2007)

U.S.A. Mini-Tours to NY, PA, NH, CT (February 2007)

Blues Matters Magazine (UK) Cover story - Issue #36 (February 2007)

Performed with Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Tab Benoit, Michael Burks, Nick Curran, and more on Legendary Blues Cruise (January 2007)

Performed on 7-day Eastern Caribbean - Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise w/guest Sue Foley (January 2007)

2006

Featured in BOOK - Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings (2006)

European Tour - NET, BEL, FRA, GER (November 2006)

Nominated for "Recording of the Year" (Kissing in 29 Days) at Maple Blues Awards (October 2006)

Short Canadian Tour to East Coast (October 2006)

Performed with the Fabulous Thunderbirds and JT Lauritsen on a blues cruise in Norway (September 2006)

North East USA Tour - including New York City (August 2006)

Canadian Tour to East Coast (June/July 2006)

Canadian Tour to Western Canada (May/June 2006)

Performed with the Mannish Boys (Kid Ramos, Rusty Zinn, Mitch Kashmar, Johnny Dyer, Finis Tasby, Leon Blue, Richard Innes, Randy
Chortcoff), at Moulin Blues Festival in Ospel, Holland - ONE SONG IS ON CD "ROAD TESTED V.1" on Delta Groove label (May 6, 2006)

Performed at the Moulin Blues Festival in Ospel, Holland - full band (May 5, 2006)

JW and Brian James tour Norway and Ireland (on St.Patricks Day!!!) (March 9-20, 2006)

Blues Revue Magazine (the worlds largest blues publication) feature. JW-Jones made the cover (in text) of Apr/May issue #99 (March 2006)

CD Release Party for "Kissing in 29 Days" at Rainbow Bistro in Ottawa (March 3, 2006)

2005

Performed with Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers in Cambridge, ON (Nov. 13, 2005)

Hollywood Celebrity Dan Aykroyd hires the band to play a PATRON TEQUILA promotion in Ottawa (November 4, 2005)

Recorded "Kissing in 29 Days", our fourth release, self produced, with guest David "Fathead" Newman (October 2005)

Hollywood movie stars Sam Rockwell (Matchstick Men, Green Mile, Hitchhikers guide...) and Jeremy Renner (SWAT)
came out to see us in Edmonton while filming "The Assassination of Jesse James" with Brad Pitt (Sep. 19, 2005)

Canadian Tour to Western Canada (September/October, 2005)

Performed with the Fabulous Thunderbirds in Waterloo, ON (Sep. 11, 2005)

Hollywood Celebrity Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues) guest appearance with us at the Rainbow in Ottawa (Sep. 2, 2005)

Little Milton Campbell passes away before recording with JW-Jones (August 4, 2005)

Performed with Little Charlie and the Nightcats at Mont Tremblant Blues Festival in Quebec (July 13, 2005)

Little Milton Campbell agrees to record three songs with JW-Jones Blues Band on upcoming album (June 17, 2005)

Opened for David Wilcox at the Canadian Tulip Festival (May 14, 2005)

Started teaching private Blues Guitar Lessons (May, 2005)

JW's brother dies in car accident (www.jw-jones.com/gabe) (Mar.7, 2005)

Nominated for "Favourite Blues Artist/Group" at Canadian Independent Music Awards (Jan.19, 2005)

Winner of national award - Electric Act of the Year at Maple Blues Awards, Toronto, ON (Jan.17, 2005)

2004

4 nominations at Maple Blues Awards - best electric act, guitar player, album (MKOE), producer (Kim Wilson for MKOE) (Nov.1, 2004)

Nationally Syndicated CBC's Saturday Night Blues with Holger Petersen - JW interview/feature (Oct. 9, 2004)

First work-free vacation since debut album - Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia (Sep.22-Nov.24, 2004)

Performed with Fabulous Thunderbirds at Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton, NB (Sep. 16, 2004)

Internationally Syndicated House of Blues Radio Hour (hosted by Elwood Blues aka Dan Akroyd) played "Nothing On Me" from the new CD (August 2004)

Performed with Little Charlie and the Nightcats at Silver Dollar in Toronto (Kid Ramos & Lynwood Slim were also guests) (July 24, 2004)

Performed for largest audience of career, at Ottawa Bluesfest opening for Blue Rodeo... 20,000+ in attendance (July 16, 2004)

CrossCut releases "My Kind of Evil" in Europe (July 15, 2004)

My Kind of Evil debuted at #15 on the Living Blues Radio Chart, above Eric Clapton and others (June 2004)

Performed with legendary blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin at the SaskTel Jazz Festival in Saskatoon, SK (June 27, 2004)

CD Release Party for "My Kind of Evil" at the Silver Dollar in Toronto, Canada (May 14, 2004)

First single "Shake That Mess", from the new album "My Kind of Evil" hits Chez 106 rock radio station in Ottawa (May 6, 2004)

First Australian Tour - East Coast Blues and Roots Festival - Byron Bay, and more... (Apr. 2004)

Kim Wilson performs with JW-Jones Blues Band at Cafe Campus in Montreal (Jan. 21, 2004)

Kim Wilson performs two sold-out shows with JW-Jones Blues Band at Rainbow Bistro in Ottawa (Jan. 16/17, 2004)

Recorded "My Kind of Evil" with guest Colin James, produced by Kim Wilson (Jan. 9, 2004)

2003

First European Tour - FRA, BEL. LUX, HOL, GER (Oct. 1-19, 2003)

Performed with Kim Wilson Blues Revue (with fav. drummer Richard Innes!) (Aug.17, 2003)

Performed with Junior Watson, Mitch Kashmar, and Little Sammy Davis (Aug.16, 2003)

Opened for (and met) rock star Sheryl Crow at Toronto Star Bluesfest (Jul. 24, 2003)

Canadian Tour from Ottawa to Vancouver and back (May/June, 2003)

Performed with Sugar Ray & The Bluetones feat. Monster Mike Welch (Mar. 27, 2003)

Kim Wilson performs with the JW-Jones Blues Band at the Silver Dollar in Toronto (Mar. 25, 2003)

Second single "Don't Tease Me" hits Chez 106 Rock Radio Station in Ottawa (Feb. 24, 2003)

Performed first USA tour dates - Minneapolis, MN and area - 4 shows (Feb. 5-8, 2003)

Kim Wilson performs two sold-out shows with JW-Jones Blues Band at Rainbow Bistro in Ottawa (Jan. 10/11, 2003)

JW starts new project with two sax players and a whole new repertoire (Jan. 7, 2003)

2002

Performed with Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers (Nov. 13, 2002)

Nominated for Best New Artist at Maple Blues Awards (third time) (November 2002)

Performed with Rick Holmstrom Band (Oct. 30, 2002)

Elwood Blues aka Dan Akroyd attends JW show in Kingston, ON (Aug. 24, 2002)

First major Canadian tour (Aug.1 – 17, 2002)

Featured on Internationally Syndicated House of Blues Radio Hour (hosted by Elwood Blues aka Dan Akroyd) (July 21, 2002)

Performed at Ottawa Bluesfest with Kaz Kazanoff & The Texas Horns as guests (July 12, 2002)

Performed at festivals and clubs in Brazil (June 2002)

First single "Time To Move On" featuring Kim Wilson hits Chez 106 Rock Station in Ottawa (May 20, 2002)

CD Release Party for "Bogart's Bounce" at Rainbow in Ottawa, Canada (May 4, 2002)

Met B.B. King (Apr 28, 2002)

Performed with Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets (March 29, 2002)

Kim Wilson performs two shows with JW-Jones Blues Band at Rainbow Bistro in Ottawa (Jan. 11/12, 2002)

Recorded "Bogart's Bounce" with guests Kim Wilson and Gene Taylor (Jan. 3, 2002)

2001

Performed with Little Charlie and the Nightcats at Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse, NY (Oct. 28, 2001)

Nominated for Best New Artist at Maple Blues Awards (second time) (November 2001)

Performed with The Fabulous Thunderbirds at a festival in Syracuse, NY (Aug.11, 2001)

Met Junior Watson (and opened for him) at the Silver Dollar in Toronto, Canada (July 19, 2001)

Met Rusty Zinn (Oct. 28, 2001)

Performed with Otis Grand, Brian Templeton, and Sue Foley (May 11, 2001)

Performed with Mark Hummel (Mar. 29, 2001)

Left computer course in college to concentrate on music career (March 2001)

First television appearance – Breakfast Television – Toronto, Canada (Feb 21, 2001)

Performed at North American Folk Alliance in Vancouver, BC (Feb 15-17, 2001)

First gig with new JW-Jones Blues Band personnel at Barrymores, in Ottawa, Canada (Feb. 3, 2001)

2000

Nominated for Best New Artist at Maple Blues Awards (November 2000)

Signed record deal with NorthernBlues Music, Toronto, Canada (Nov. 18, 2000)

"Defibrillatin'" hits Top 40, Top 25, and Top 10 blues radio charts in Canada, Australia, and USA. (October 2000)

Performed with Sax Gordon at Stoney's in Kingston, ON (Aug 2000)

Signed first record deal with CrossCut Records (Europe - Aug 23, 2000)

Released debut album - Defibrillatin' on personal indie label "Solid Blues Records" (August 2000)

Joined "The Johnny Russell Band" with Southside Steve Marriner on harp – lasted until early 2001

1999

Won Ottawa Blues Guitar Riff-Off (awards: studio time, fender telecaster) (November)

Blues Revue Magazine publishes great review of JW-Jones studio demos and home recordings (November)

Met Rick Holmstrom, Rod Piazza & Mighty Flyers, Ronnie James Weber, Sugar Ray Norcia

1998

Joined "The Bluenatix" with Neil Barrington on harp - lasted until sometime in 1999

JW-Jones Blues Band begins playing shows (first lineup of personnel)

Recorded studio demo (6 songs, 2 were originals)

Met Jimmie Vaughan (July 1998), Kid Ramos & Lynwood Slim (Nov 6, 1998)

1997

Won battle of the bands (award: studio time)

Met Anson Funderburgh, Luther Allison, Roomful of Blues

1996

Received Fender Stratocaster as gift from grandparents Col.Kenneth & Evalyn Collins – this is when JW started playing seriously.

Started playing bass – continued to play for about a year

Met Little Charlie Baty, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Otis Grand, Johnny Copeland, Carey Bell

1995

Started attempting to play guitar after seeing B.B.King live in concert

Performed on drums with Jumpin' Johnny Sansone

Performed on drums with the Tony D. Band

Performed on drums with Big Jack Johnson & The Oilers

Shook B.B. King's hand, but did not meet officially (Mar. 30, 1995)

Met Son Seals, Koko Taylor

1994

Met Tony D. (Nov.6, 1994)

1993

Career begins playing coffee houses, and public school assemblies

1992

Started playing drums

1980

Born July 15, Ottawa, Canada