Uriel Jones (Born 13th June, 1934)

[john poole]

Uriel Jones - born 13th June, 1934 (Detroit) [died 24th March, 2009]

The drummer with Marvin Gaye's live band in the early 60s; he began session work with Motown in 1964 and became one of their three main drummers along with Benny Benjamin & Richard "Pistol" Allen.

Norman Whitfield used him on many of his productions - two here minus the lead vocals

'Cloud Nine' (1968)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DB1ypea4OA
Uriel with second drummer "Spider Webb" (real name Kenneth Rice)

'I Can't Get Next to You' (1969)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85ukCg-p_L0
Earl Van Dyke - piano; Eddie "Bongo" Brown - congas; Jack Ashford - tambourine; Eddie Willis, Joe Messina, & Dennis Coffey (wah wah) - guitars; James Jamerson - bass; Uriel Jones - drums

Interviewed in 2009 shortly before his passing -
http://www.moderndrummer.com/site/2011/ ... own-sound/

Funds are being raised to place a headstone on his unmarked grave -
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2012 ... /205300302

[NormanD]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120530/ENT04/205300302

Link for Uriel Jones contributions http://www.indiegogo.com/urieljones?c=home

This article tells us that early Motown hitmaker Marv Johnson is in the same cemetery, also in an unmarked grave. How many other musicians / performers have suffered a similar sad fate?

[john poole]

Link for Uriel Jones contributions http://www.indiegogo.com/urieljones?c=home

This article tells us that early Motown hitmaker Marv Johnson is in the same cemetery, also in an unmarked grave. How many other musicians / performers have suffered a similar sad fate?

Detroit News didn't find graves for the other Motown drummers Benny Benjamin and Richard 'Pistol" Allen, so it's quite possible that it may apply to them.

It appears that sufficient funds have been raised to purchase a headstone for Uriel Jones and further contributions will be used towards one for Marv Johnson.

These were the original features which prompted the appeal -
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2010 ... egends-RIP
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2010 ... /0/archive