About this Artist
Fifty-five year old Augusta, Georgia native SHARON JONES is one of the greatest purveyors of soul and funk music today, as her polish and zip has grabbed the ears of a diverse range of producers and musicians over the last few years. Rock icons (Lou Reed & David Byrne), indie and pop staples (Prince, Michael Bublé, They Might Be Giants), movie stars (Denzel Washington) and soul legends (Booker T. Jones) have all reached out to grab some of the indelible, organic vibe that Sharon Jones provides. But her success does not stop there. With her Dap-Kings, Ms. Jones has released four full-length albums on the Dap-Kings’ self-run, Brooklyn-based independent label Daptone Records.
On April 6th, 2010, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings released their fourth album, I Learned The Hard Way debuting at #15 on the Billboard 200 chart. After a few weeks on the shelves of record stores around the world, the album continued to climb the Billboard charts hitting #2 for Independent albums and #6 for R&B/Hip-Hop albums. Steeped in the gilded and gritty sounds of gospel, soul, and funk, the nine-piece act continues to electrify fans, disc jockeys, critics, record collectors, and journalists the world over with their heart-felt sound. Their devotion to soul music is clearly demonstrated on the band’s critically acclaimed albums. In addition to Hard Way and 100 Days, the band has released Naturally (2005) and Dap Dippin’ (2002) all on Daptone Records. Their albums recall an analog era of iconic studios like those at Motown and Stax Records and have thrust Jones and the Dap-Kings into the multimedia limelight.
As distinguished as her recordings may be, Sharon Jones has become truly renowned thanks to her incredible live performances and relentless touring. Sharon and the band continue to pack hundreds of clubs worldwide, including a guest performance with Prince at Madison Square Garden, two consecutive sold out shows at New York’s legendary Apollo Theatre, a historical evening at Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Prospect Park Band Shell that brought a crowd of nearly 20,000 people and show-stopping sets at SXSW, Coachella, Lollapalooza, Roskilde, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, North Sea Jazz Festival, and WOMAD.