Hi y'all, I'm Lennie Jones and I sure appreciate your being here. I am an artist... a primitive self-taught painter of the holistic Blues experience as I envision an' have experienced it.. As a very young boy, my uneducated South Louisiana father instilled in me a deep love of Blues music, drawing pictures, and endless swampy wilderness. My mother as well was a talented yet erratic artistic influence. These positive connections luckily cradled me through a very troubled youth, and have remained yet the most powerful motivations in my adulthood. After my father left, the bulk of my youthful years were heavily influenced by a wonderful vibrant one-eyed Southern African-American woman aptly named "Tex". Tex lived with me and my little brother as a full time subsitute for our mother, who was constantly away pursuing other ventures. Tex had a boisterous an' soulful love of Blues, booze and fishin', all of which were important to me as well. As a traveling blues musician, I was gigging in New York City in March, 1968 when I met and heard the incredible Albert King. Albert's unique combination of incomparable power, heartfelt pain, passionate subtlety and compelling musicianship moved my soul like no music ever had before. Or since... Opening for the original Canned Heat Blues Band, shakin' hands with Muddy Waters, giggin' for Zappa further solidified my love of playing, hearing and living the Blues. Unfortunately for me, years of continued professional playing resulted mostly only in a habitual wrestling match with my alcohol demons, and repeated brushes with the law that so often result from that battle dance. As often lamented by very wise men, "when you let the Devil ride, he wanna drive". This struggle culminated with my final arrest following a late night gig in a rural Southern enclave in March, 1980. Police roughed me up some, which I fully deserved. Thrown into a tiny dark jail, I was later chained to an unfortunate black man who had murdered his wife that fateful night with a knife. Early the following morning, the two of us were paraded on foot through several blocks of a small town and presented to a hard time judge. This was my very own Crossroads, and I never drank alcohol again. Possibly the best night and finest morning of my entire life. Oddly, only a few years later, overlooking my "shady" past and welcoming my wilderness skills, I was hired by the Federal government as a Ranger in the Florida Everglades. There I thrived for over twenty years, working alone and chasing poachers, smugglers and other wonderful characters in my very own remote paradise. For many years now I have lived in the mysterious and primitive Florida Everglades, very happy, healthy, and blessed with a timeless source of spiritual inspiration to my art, music and soul......Have Mercy.
To check out more of Lennie’s wonderful Folk Art go HERE
