Rickie Lee Jones (born November 8, 1954) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning… Read Full Bio ↴Rickie Lee Jones (born November 8, 1954) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist, musician, songwriter, and producer from the United States. Over the course of a three-decade career, Jones has recorded in various musical styles including R&B, blues, pop, soul, and jazz standards. Rickie Lee Jones is a singer songwriter whose style leans on jazz and pop/R&B timing and personification.
Jones settled in LA at the age of nineteen, doing the classic waiting tables stuff until she landed a recording contract with Warners. Her self-titled debut album in 1979 was a big success, as was the single, Chuck E.'s in Love, about her musician friend Chuck E. Weiss. At the 1980 Grammy Awards, she won a Grammy for Best New Artist, and also received four more nominations: for Record of the Year; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female; Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female; and Song of the Year (for "Chuck E.'s in Love"). While none of her subsequent recordings achieved the same level of commercial success, Jones has continued releasing critically acclaimed albums that have explored a variety of sonic terrain from jazz standards to trip hop influenced works.
Jones' pursuit of jazz standards led to the recording of "The Moon Is Made of Gold" and "Autumn Leaves" for Rob Wasserman's album Duets in 1985. The latter track earned her another Grammy nomination. And in 1990, her duet with Dr. John, a cover of "Makin' Whoopee", earned the artist her second Grammy Award, this time in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.
At the time of recording her debut album, Jones was in a romantic relationship with Tom Waits; she is the girl draped over the car on the cover of his 1978 album Blue Valentine.
Early in her career, Jones was known for her drinking and substance abuse. She eventually tempered those demons, and came to terms with herself, and her own uncertain spirituality, and has maintained respect of her musical peers.
She's devoted to her talents, beyond music, one of which is raising her teenage daughter, and has even run her own political website and made music critiquing the Bush administration. She is involved in left-wing politics and community activism, partly through her web community, Furniture for the People (http://www.furnitureforthepeople.com/).
A greatest hits collection on Rhino called The Duchess of Coolsville was released in 2005.
In 2007 she signed to New West Records releasing The Sermon On Exposition Blvd, a record exploring lyrical territory inspired by Lee Cantelon's 1991 book The Words, which attempted to translate Christ's teachings into a more accessible contemporary format. Cantelon's friend, Guitarist Peter Atanasoff was instrumental in the creation of the eventual record.
Discography
1979: Rickie Lee Jones – Warner Bros.
1981: Pirates – Warner Bros.
1983: Girl at Her Volcano (EP) – Warner Bros.
1984: The Magazine – Warner Bros.
1989: Flying Cowboys - Geffen
1991: Pop Pop - Geffen
1993: Traffic From Paradise - Geffen
1995: Naked Songs - Reprise
1997: Ghostyhead – Warner Bros.
2000: It's Like This - Artemis
2001: Live at Red Rocks - Artemis
2003: The Evening of My Best Day – V2
2005: Duchess of Coolsville - Rhino
2007: Sermon On Exposition Boulevard - New West
2009: Balm in Gilead
Jones settled in LA at the age of nineteen, doing the classic waiting tables stuff until she landed a recording contract with Warners. Her self-titled debut album in 1979 was a big success, as was the single, Chuck E.'s in Love, about her musician friend Chuck E. Weiss. At the 1980 Grammy Awards, she won a Grammy for Best New Artist, and also received four more nominations: for Record of the Year; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female; Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female; and Song of the Year (for "Chuck E.'s in Love"). While none of her subsequent recordings achieved the same level of commercial success, Jones has continued releasing critically acclaimed albums that have explored a variety of sonic terrain from jazz standards to trip hop influenced works.
Jones' pursuit of jazz standards led to the recording of "The Moon Is Made of Gold" and "Autumn Leaves" for Rob Wasserman's album Duets in 1985. The latter track earned her another Grammy nomination. And in 1990, her duet with Dr. John, a cover of "Makin' Whoopee", earned the artist her second Grammy Award, this time in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.
At the time of recording her debut album, Jones was in a romantic relationship with Tom Waits; she is the girl draped over the car on the cover of his 1978 album Blue Valentine.
Early in her career, Jones was known for her drinking and substance abuse. She eventually tempered those demons, and came to terms with herself, and her own uncertain spirituality, and has maintained respect of her musical peers.
She's devoted to her talents, beyond music, one of which is raising her teenage daughter, and has even run her own political website and made music critiquing the Bush administration. She is involved in left-wing politics and community activism, partly through her web community, Furniture for the People (http://www.furnitureforthepeople.com/).
A greatest hits collection on Rhino called The Duchess of Coolsville was released in 2005.
In 2007 she signed to New West Records releasing The Sermon On Exposition Blvd, a record exploring lyrical territory inspired by Lee Cantelon's 1991 book The Words, which attempted to translate Christ's teachings into a more accessible contemporary format. Cantelon's friend, Guitarist Peter Atanasoff was instrumental in the creation of the eventual record.
Discography
1979: Rickie Lee Jones – Warner Bros.
1981: Pirates – Warner Bros.
1983: Girl at Her Volcano (EP) – Warner Bros.
1984: The Magazine – Warner Bros.
1989: Flying Cowboys - Geffen
1991: Pop Pop - Geffen
1993: Traffic From Paradise - Geffen
1995: Naked Songs - Reprise
1997: Ghostyhead – Warner Bros.
2000: It's Like This - Artemis
2001: Live at Red Rocks - Artemis
2003: The Evening of My Best Day – V2
2005: Duchess of Coolsville - Rhino
2007: Sermon On Exposition Boulevard - New West
2009: Balm in Gilead
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Rickie Lee Jones Lyrics
A Lucky Guy Oh, he's a lucky guy Oh, he's a lucky guy He doesn't…
After Hours All the gang has gone home Standing on the corner All alon…
Altar Boy A monk with a hard on in a lavender robe That…
Autumn Leaves C'est une chanson, Qui nous ressemble, Toi qui m'aimais, …
Chuck E's In Love How come he don't come and PLP with me Down at…
Company I'll remember you too clearly But I'll survive another day C…
Coolsville I and Braggar, and Junior Lee Well that's the way we…
Danny's All-Star Joint Downstairs at danny's all-star joint They got a juke box tha…
Deep Space These stars No one else can see Trapeze the height of thee…
Easy Money There was a Joe Leanin' on the back door A couple Jills…
Flying Cowboys Down there by the river is a man Whose born is…
Gravity There are wounds that stir up the force of gravity A…
It Must Be Love It must be love that whispers in my ear It must…
Juke Box Fury Polly and I went to the circus Polly got hit with…
Living It Up Eddie's got one crazy eye That turns him into a cartoon When…
Lush Life I used to visit all the very gay places Those come-what-may…
Magazine Homeboys Calling from the corners Station to station For the…
My Funny Valentine My funny valentine, Sweet comic valentine, You make me smile…
Night Train Here I'm going Walkin' with my baby in my arms 'cause I…
On Saturday Afternoons in 1963 The most as you'll ever go Is back where you used…
Rainbow Sleeves You used to dream yourself away each night To places that…
Runaround My baby's always crying, My baby wants to see me cry,…
Skeletons She was pregnant in May Now they're on their way Dashing thr…
So Long You'll always find what you're after, baby You'll find the s…
Stewart's Coat Hold me love, I can't sleep again Will I have to…
The Horses We will fly way up high Where the cold wind blows Or…
The Last Chance Texaco A long stretch of headlights Bends into I-9 Tiptoe into truc…
The Real End Once I had a sweet love Always followed me around The way…
The Returns But after all There are such things And these are the things…
Traces Of The Western Slopes We go down round The far side of the tracks Lolitas playing…
Under the Boardwalk When the sun beats down, and melts the tar upon…
We Belong Together I say this was no game of chicken You were aiming…
Weasel and the White Boys Cool Sal was working at Nyro's nook in downtown Selling articles …
Woody and Dutch on the Slow Train to Peking Dutch took 'em on the slow train to Peking on…
Young Blood Take a walk around midnight in the City Young Blood is…
Felice Marie Berkley
on It Must Be Love
One of my fav. songs..!
Felice Marie Berkley
on Comin' Back To Me
Very pretty song.