Saturday, September 02, 2006

Mr. Marshall Jones Still Singing at 92. Now That's Maximizing His Potential!

Joy is what Mr. Marshall Jones brings every time he sings. Born in the little town of Monroe, Georgia and raised in the Georgia Mountains town of Summerville, Mr. Marshall Jones has been singing and praising God for almost 90 years.

He celebrated his 92nd birthday on December 10th, 2005 and his voice is still holding strong!!

The son of a minister, Rev. C. L. Jones, Marshall Jones was exposed to hymns and spirituals at an early age. His love for singing surfaced as young boy when he would listen to older men and women sing in the church. While he has been an active member of the A. M. E. Zion church for over 85 years, no matter where he goes, before he can get through the church door, somebody is asking him to sing. And, Mr. Jones, in spite of how he may be feeling at the time, will be obedient and sing.

"This is the country way of doing things. I enjoy singing for the Lord. Nowadays, the music is so loud; you can't hear what they singing. I want to hear the words. Even if it's a moan, I want to hear it", says Mr. Jones.

Mr. Jones can best be described as a man who uses his singing talent to worship and praise his God. During the 1940's and 1950's, Mr. Jones was lead singer for the Tri-City Harmonizers, a popular gospel Quartet of that time. Performing throughout the South, The Tri-City Harmonizers sang with such gospel groups as The Five Blind Boys and The Golden Gates. Every Sunday morning listeners could hear Mr. Jones and his group perform inspiring tunes on Rome, Georgia's WRGA radio station!

Mr. Marshall Jones is dedicated to spreading God's message through song. He delights when approached by children and youth who tell of his positive influence on their lives. Be it humming an old hymn around his house or uttering melodious praises in God's house, Marshall Jones believes that there is always time to sing!

Mr. Jones was a devoted husband to the late Eva Jones and is a loving father of three daughters (Marshall Ann, Gayle, and Rosalyn), five grandsons, five great-grand children, many nieces and nephews and lots of folks who just love to be around him. You can call him "Daddy", "Granddaddy", "Uncle Marsh", or "Mr. Jones"; he'll answer to them all because he loves the sound of children around.

"They just make me happy", says Mr. Jones.
"I'll just get down on the floor with 'em and let 'em beat me up and they just laugh when I start crying. Boy! That is fun to see them laugh."

Just sit near Mr. Jones long enough and you are sure to hear a familiar tune. Soon you will find yourself singing and smiling along with him while he praises the Lord as only he knows how. His music is a timeless message for today through stories of yesterday: love of family, love of wife, even through sickness, and love of God through it all.

His message is for God's people, not just Black people nor White people; not for Americans nor non-Americans; not just Church people, but for those who believe in God and desire to follow God's instructions.

The Holy Spirit will speak truth to their hearts and they will know that Jesus is Lord. Now that's Good Religion!