Jones was born at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, to a teacher at the Flint Foundation Academy, and was raised by her grandmother, Ruth Jefferson Morris.
An only child, Jones is a Baptist who began singing at the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church at age five.[1] She was formally trained in classical music, although her favorite genre is gospel music. Jones always dreamed of becoming a singer. She was home schooled in Flint, then attended Flint Central High School (now Flint Central Commencement Academy), where, in one of her earliest performances, she appeared in a play called Lead Poisoning. While in high school, Jones performed with one of the groups in the choral department: the Madrigal Singers. Jones graduated in 1998 and attended the University of Michigan-Flint, majoring in music. During college, she performed in the play Godspell. Jones stated in her Idol interview that Flint, Michigan was her home for the first 20 years of her life, and although she had briefly moved to Fort Meade, Maryland, she is now a Flint, Michigan resident again.
After she graduated college, Jones moved to Houston, Texas, where she lived for six years. One of her earliest jobs in Houston was that of a secretary at Abundant Life Cathedral, a church with 7,000 parishioners. Prior to working at the church, Jones sang in the 70-member choir. The choir has produced well-known gospel singer Yolanda Adams, among others. In 2006 , Jones moved to Fort Meade, Maryland, in order to be closer to her cousins and other relatives. At that time, Jones obtained a job as a bank teller at Provident Bank in Millersville, Maryland, which she gave up when she moved to Hollywood to compete in American Idol.
Jones was the 1997 winner of Flint's now defunct supershow, and while living in Houston, she took second place in the 2005 Gimme the Mic competition.
American Idol
[edit] American Idol performances
Week # Song Choice Original Artist Result
Top 24 "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" Jennifer Holliday Safe
Top 20 "Midnight Train to Georgia" Gladys Knight & the Pips Safe
Top 16 "I Have Nothing" Whitney Houston Safe
Top 12 "God Bless the Child" Billie Holliday Safe
Top 11 "Diamonds Are Forever" Shirley Bassey Safe
Top 10 "Last Dance" Donna Summer Safe
Top 9 "Stormy Weather" First performed by Ethel Waters, popularized by Lena Horne Safe
Top 3
Top 8 "Conga" Gloria Estefan Safe
Top 7 "Jesus, Take the Wheel" Carrie Underwood Bottom 2
Top 6 "I Believe" Fantasia Barrino Safe
Non-Elimination Week
Top 6 "This Ain't a Love Song" Bon Jovi Safe
Top 4 "Stayin' Alive"
"Run to Me" Bee Gees
Bee Gees Eliminated
[edit] Audition
Jones auditioned singing "Think" by Aretha Franklin. The judges were impressed with her powerful vocal and performance, and Simon noted that he "loved this girl". LaKisha was shown emotionally embracing her daughter after being sent into the next round. In her farewell montage on the episode of her elimination it was shown that she also sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" during her audition. She also performed Stevie Wonder's "Until You Come Back To Me" during one of the Hollywood audition rounds.
Semi-Finals
Top 24: And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
Top 20: Midnight Train to Georgia
Top 16: I Have Nothing
Jones received positive reviews for all three of her performances. During her first performance of the smash Dreamgirls hit, Simon went as far to tell her, "I'm very tempted to tell 23 other people to book their plane tickets home."
On March 8, 2007, Jones became a finalist of the sixth season of American Idol.
Finals
* Week 1 - 13 March 2007 with special guest Diana Ross, Jones sang God Bless The Child and received rave reviews from the judges praising her vocal control throughout the performance.
* Week 2 - 20 March 2007 with special guest Lulu, Jones performed Diamonds Are Forever. She received her first mixed review from Randy and Simon. Simon noted that although she was good vocally, she sounded like she was 50 years older. Jones replied that if she sounded this good 50 years from now, she'd be all set.
* Week 3 - 27 March 2007 with special guest Gwen Stefani, Jones performed Last Dance by Donna Summer. She received positive reviews from the judges, who especially liked the fact that she sang an upbeat song compared to her usual ballads.
* Week 4 - 3 April 2007 with special guest Tony Bennett, Jones sang "Stormy Weather", and once again received positive reviews from all judges. She was one of the top 3 vote-getters, along with Melinda Doolittle and Jordin Sparks.
* Week 5 - 10 April 2007 with special guest Jennifer Lopez, Jones sang Conga by Gloria Estefan. Although she "wowed" Randy with her nice runs and by "coming out of her shy box," Paula and Simon felt it was a "safe" performance.
* Week 6 - 17 April 2007 with special guest Martina McBride, Jones sang Carrie Underwood's hit Jesus, Take the Wheel, for which she received generally negative reviews. Randy wanted her to make it more of her own, and Paula agreed. Simon felt that she didn't go with the song, since country music was more of an unfamiliar territory to her.
* Week 7 - 24 April 2007 during the Idol Gives Back special, Jones performed season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino's hit I Believe, but once again received mixed reviews. Randy noted that she sounded good vocally, and Paula preferred Barrino's version. When Simon began giving a somewhat negative critique, the audience interrupted him several times and made it difficult to finish.
* Week 8 - 1 May 2007 with special guest Bon Jovi, Jones performed This Ain't a Love Song by Bon Jovi. She received ultimate praise from the judges. Randy noted that "LaKisha was back." After the performance, when Simon even said he wanted to kiss her, Ryan Seacrest prompted him to do so, which he did. He then told LaKisha she had "nice lips" and that he "loved them."
* Week 9 - 8 May 2007 with special guest Barry Gibb, Jones performed Stayin' Alive and Run to Me. She received mixed reviews from the judges. During the first performance, the judges felt she did not need to embellish the songs with any runs and that she could have kept the melodies. Simon noted there was "no kiss tonight." Her second performance was better received. All three judges noted that it was good, however Simon still felt that she and Blake Lewis were vulnerable. She was eliminated on May 9, 2007.
Jones performed at the American Idol 2007 finale, along with the top 6 girls and Gladys Knight. During her elimination she said " I'm glad I auditioned at American Idol. I'm glad people believed in me enough to think that I could be here."
Post-American Idol
After being voted off on American Idol, Jones plans to get a quick start on her career. She is already scheduled to tour with the Top 10 Idols on the Idols tour. Jones says that she will also be focusing on two goals: a record contract and a new home, which is likely to be in Houston, Texas.[2]
Performed the Star-Spangled Banner at Comerica Park before the Detroit Tigers game on June 8, 2007 versus the New York Mets.
LaKisha also had two homecoming events. The first at the Abundant Life Cathedral Church in Houston, Texas (Houston was her home from 2000 to 2006) on May 30th, 2007. This date was also declared 'LaKisha Jones Day' in Houston by Mayor Bill White.
The other homecoming was at Atwood Stadium, Flint, Michigan, where LaKisha was born and raised and where most of her family still resides, on June 9, 2007. It was at this ceremony that she received a $6,000 check and six-month free lease on a new Buick LaCrosse. She also received a Flint watch, personalized tree ornaments from Bronner's and a card signed by 300 fans.
June 10, 2007 was declared to be 'LaKisha Jones Day' in Michigan by Gov. Jennifer Granholm at Michigan State Capitol, Lansing.
In an interview in Toronto, LaKisha revealed that there are deals on the table and expressed her wish to record either a Soul album or an Inspirational Gospel album or maybe both. She also said that she may do some Broadway.
Jesus Take The Wheel
LaKisha Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Goin' home to see her mama & her daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It'd been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
She was going way too fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She didn't even have time to cry
She was so scared
She threw her hands up in the air
[Chorus:]
Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Jesus, take the wheel
It was still getting colder when she made it to a shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said, "I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight"
[Chorus:]
Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Oh, Jesus, take the wheel
Oh, I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
From this road I'm on
Jesus, take the wheel
Oh, take it, take it from me
Oh, why, oh
In LaKisha Jones's song "Jesus Take the Wheel," we hear the story of a woman in a desperate place. She's driving with her baby on Christmas Eve to her parents' home, but she's fifty miles out and "running low on faith and gasoline." It's been a tough year, and she's preoccupied when she loses control of the car and begins to spin. She can see both her and her baby's lives flash before her eyes, and without hesitation, she throws her hands up in the air and cries out to Jesus to take control of the car.
The chorus of the song, "Jesus, take the wheel, Take it from my hands, Cause I can't do this on my own," is a plea for help from a person at their wits' end. In this moment, the song suggests that it's only through the intervention of Jesus Christ that things can be set right. The singer lets go of the wheel and gives Jesus control, recognizing that she can't save herself and that only a higher power can change things for the better.
This song is a powerful reminder that sometimes as humans, we feel lost or overwhelmed, and we need to be reminded that there's help available if we ask for it. The message is inspiring, the instrumentation is engaging, and the story is relatable, making "Jesus Take the Wheel" an excellent song.
Line by Line Meaning
She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
LaKisha Jones is describing the beginning of her story by talking about where she was and what day she was driving.
On a snow white Christmas Eve
She is setting the scene for the day and describing the weather.
Goin' home to see her mama & her daddy with the baby in the backseat
LaKisha is telling us she had family waiting for her at home and had her baby in the car with her.
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
She was running low on energy, faith, and resources to complete her journey.
It'd been a long hard year
She is conveying that she has had a tough and trying year.
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
She was distracted and not paying attention to the road.
She was going way too fast
LaKisha was driving at an unsafe speed limit.
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She lost control of her car and ended up spinning on a slick surface.
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She realized that both her and her baby's lives were in danger and her life flashed before her eyes.
She didn't even have time to cry
She was in shock and didn't have time to cry or react emotionally.
She was so scared
She was frightened and didn't know what to do.
She threw her hands up in the air
LaKisha was expressing a sign of defeat and helplessness.
Jesus, take the wheel
In this line, LaKisha is asking Jesus to take control of the car and her life.
Take it from my hands
She is giving Jesus full control and taking her hands off the steering wheel.
Cause I can't do this on my own
LaKisha is acknowledging that she can't make it without Jesus's help.
I'm letting go
She is surrendering and letting go of her control.
So give me one more chance
She is asking for one more chance to be saved and make things right.
Save me from this road I'm on
She is requesting Jesus to save her from the road that she is on.
It was still getting colder when she made it to a shoulder
She is describing the situation when LaKisha pulled over to the side of the road and got out of the car.
And the car came to a stop
Her car stopped moving and came to a complete stop.
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
LaKisha became emotional and cried when she saw that her baby was safe and had been sleeping throughout the whole incident.
And for the first time in a long time
She is expressing that for the first time in a long time, she is about to do something.
She bowed her head to pray
LaKisha is showing reverence and humility by bowing her head to pray.
She said, "I'm sorry for the way I've been living my life
She asked for forgiveness and apologized for her past misgivings.
I know I've got to change
She is acknowledging that there needs to be a change in her life.
So from now on tonight"
LaKisha is making a commitment to change her ways, starting tonight.
Oh, I'm letting go
She is reminding herself and Jesus that she has let go of the wheel and control.
So give me one more chance
She is asking for another chance to live her life differently and do better.
Save me from this road I'm on
She repeats her request for Jesus to save her from her current road.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@machoman1016
Simon reaction at 2:31 says it all.
@JakobTennisMB
Omg I never noticed that.
@thelordofthetundra2958
Not a great song choice for her
@crazyasianman07
Wrong choice of song. Doesn't go with her voice. This a country song & doesn't have that country twang voice. It wasn't her best. 😕
@machoman1016
That an understatement she was lucky that people were done with Sanjaya at this point otherwise she would've been gone for sure.
@crazyasianman07
@Jose Vazquez I'm just telling it like it is. U can say whatever u like I don't care. If u noticed I'm not the only person who posted the same response. Even Simon said the same response if u watched the whole video. She would of done better & probably wouldn't have been in the bottom 2 if she chose a better song this week. Song choice is key & important. Makes the difference no matter how good of a singer u are.
@machoman1016
@Renz_89 I don't know why you are being so defensive I was kinda agreeing with you if it came out differently than I apologize.
@crazyasianman07
@Jose Vazquez well b/c u said my response was an understatement. That comes off as a negative response since your basically saying that my comment is not enough or wasn't as bad as how u felt it was. When I felt that's as good of a critique I could say about this performance. Even Simon & someone else said the same thing. Why pick on me of all ppl.