Bassjones
Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 1:57 pm
AKA Brad Jones, aka Bradley Glenn Jones (Glenn was my Great-Grandfather's name)
Born 9-19-1970 in DesMoines, Iowa
Moved around a lot as a kid, since my dad was (and still is) a minister. Have lived in 6 states, mainly Michigan, where I lived in 6 different cities. Received a private school education from 6th grade through graduation. We moved 3x's in that time period, but all within close enough proximity to the school for me to attend the same school that entire time. I think that's why my parents chose private school. My dad taught there part time to pay my tuition. I played soccer, basketball (my main sport), baseball and track. One spring I played baseball and ran track in the same season. After that, I just played baseball in the spring.
I played Tuba in symphonic band and developed a passion for music while I was there. Even back then I had some eclectic tastes. When everyone else was listening to Bon Jovi, I was listening to Bruce Cockburn, pre-Green REM, the Smiths, Miles Davis, Jaco (who is why I play bass now), Coltrane, you name it... I graduated in 1988 and trudged off to Bryan College (named after William Jennings Bryan) in Dayton, TN to study music and play basketball...
I blew out my knee first semester and couldn't play hoops. I was also growing increasingly frustrated with the ultra-traditional music program there and decided to transfer to Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, IN, which used to have one of the best instrumental jazz programs in the state of Indiana, especially for horn players. The director of the jazz program was Jerry Franks, who had played with Doc Severenson, Glen Miller Orchestra, gave private lessons to David Sanborn, etc... I was also going to play basketball there, but unfortunately suffered yet another devastating knee injury. From there on out it was music all the way for me. 2nd semester, Jerry died from Kidney failure, which was a complication of his long-time struggle with diabetes, which had also left him blind and caused two strokes.
While at IWU, I met, dated and became engaged to a young woman, and became engaged shortly thereafter. It ended badly, and I struggled for a long time with depression afterwards. The death of Jerry and the ill-advised engagement, along with the advice of a well-meaning professor who told me "If you want to be a musician, go play music. If you want to teach, stay in school.", led me to drop out of college. I moved to Onsted, MI (just north of Toledo, OH) and pursued my passion.
Over the next 6 years, I played in a bunch of bands that didn't make much money, held a bunch of crap jobs and dated very few women. In 1995, I was playing in a band called Everyman, which was meeting with some success and generating some small, Christian label interest. I also met my future wife, Amy and was starting to think about finding another avenue to make a living... the band broke up in '96, I got married August 2, 1997... My daughter, whose name will be kept secret to avoid any potential on-line predators, was born late in 1998 (again, actual date won't be revealed).
Moved to Ft. Wayne in 1999 to manage a group home for large sibling group Foster children. We were live-in house parents there for almost 4 years. During that time, I went back to college. I have an Associate's in Criminal Justice Degree and am now finishing up a Bachelor's in Management at IWU's Fort Wayne campus. The house was closed in August, 2001 because of funding issues. I was filling out an application for my current job on 9-11-01 when the radio began giving out bits of information of an attack on the World Trade Centers. I'm surprised I got the job given my total lack of focus that morning. Maybe they figured I was dedicated since I'd stayed to finish it...
Bought a house in 2002, and have pretty much made Fort Wayne home. Upon graduation I am hoping to use my degree in the music field somehow, perhaps starting an indie label or operating a not-for-profit music foundation. Adopted a boxer puppy about 4 months ago. My daughter named him Harley Ray because daddy likes Harley Davidson motorcycles and the music of Ray Charles.... how cute.... He's now 6 months old and growing like a weed.
Attend Fellowship Missionary Church where I am on the worship team, lead a small group Bible study and participate in and help lead diversity dialogue weekends. FMC is a large mult-cultural church. There are several different racial groups that attend and the third morning service has a Spanish translator. Come out and watch me play sometime.
Looking forward to meeting some of you soon.
Born 9-19-1970 in DesMoines, Iowa
Moved around a lot as a kid, since my dad was (and still is) a minister. Have lived in 6 states, mainly Michigan, where I lived in 6 different cities. Received a private school education from 6th grade through graduation. We moved 3x's in that time period, but all within close enough proximity to the school for me to attend the same school that entire time. I think that's why my parents chose private school. My dad taught there part time to pay my tuition. I played soccer, basketball (my main sport), baseball and track. One spring I played baseball and ran track in the same season. After that, I just played baseball in the spring.
I played Tuba in symphonic band and developed a passion for music while I was there. Even back then I had some eclectic tastes. When everyone else was listening to Bon Jovi, I was listening to Bruce Cockburn, pre-Green REM, the Smiths, Miles Davis, Jaco (who is why I play bass now), Coltrane, you name it... I graduated in 1988 and trudged off to Bryan College (named after William Jennings Bryan) in Dayton, TN to study music and play basketball...
I blew out my knee first semester and couldn't play hoops. I was also growing increasingly frustrated with the ultra-traditional music program there and decided to transfer to Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, IN, which used to have one of the best instrumental jazz programs in the state of Indiana, especially for horn players. The director of the jazz program was Jerry Franks, who had played with Doc Severenson, Glen Miller Orchestra, gave private lessons to David Sanborn, etc... I was also going to play basketball there, but unfortunately suffered yet another devastating knee injury. From there on out it was music all the way for me. 2nd semester, Jerry died from Kidney failure, which was a complication of his long-time struggle with diabetes, which had also left him blind and caused two strokes.
While at IWU, I met, dated and became engaged to a young woman, and became engaged shortly thereafter. It ended badly, and I struggled for a long time with depression afterwards. The death of Jerry and the ill-advised engagement, along with the advice of a well-meaning professor who told me "If you want to be a musician, go play music. If you want to teach, stay in school.", led me to drop out of college. I moved to Onsted, MI (just north of Toledo, OH) and pursued my passion.
Over the next 6 years, I played in a bunch of bands that didn't make much money, held a bunch of crap jobs and dated very few women. In 1995, I was playing in a band called Everyman, which was meeting with some success and generating some small, Christian label interest. I also met my future wife, Amy and was starting to think about finding another avenue to make a living... the band broke up in '96, I got married August 2, 1997... My daughter, whose name will be kept secret to avoid any potential on-line predators, was born late in 1998 (again, actual date won't be revealed).
Moved to Ft. Wayne in 1999 to manage a group home for large sibling group Foster children. We were live-in house parents there for almost 4 years. During that time, I went back to college. I have an Associate's in Criminal Justice Degree and am now finishing up a Bachelor's in Management at IWU's Fort Wayne campus. The house was closed in August, 2001 because of funding issues. I was filling out an application for my current job on 9-11-01 when the radio began giving out bits of information of an attack on the World Trade Centers. I'm surprised I got the job given my total lack of focus that morning. Maybe they figured I was dedicated since I'd stayed to finish it...
Bought a house in 2002, and have pretty much made Fort Wayne home. Upon graduation I am hoping to use my degree in the music field somehow, perhaps starting an indie label or operating a not-for-profit music foundation. Adopted a boxer puppy about 4 months ago. My daughter named him Harley Ray because daddy likes Harley Davidson motorcycles and the music of Ray Charles.... how cute.... He's now 6 months old and growing like a weed.
Attend Fellowship Missionary Church where I am on the worship team, lead a small group Bible study and participate in and help lead diversity dialogue weekends. FMC is a large mult-cultural church. There are several different racial groups that attend and the third morning service has a Spanish translator. Come out and watch me play sometime.
Looking forward to meeting some of you soon.
