Jeff Jones (music industry executive)
Encyclopedia
Jeff Jones is the chief executive of Apple Corps
, the company founded by The Beatles
. He replaced long-time incumbent Neil Aspinall
in April 2007. Jones was formerly a vice president at Sony/BMG, where he specialised in repackaging classic albums. Jones, an American, will move to London
, and said his new job was "a dream come true".
During his tenure as Executive Vice President of Sony BMG Catalog, Mr. Jones was responsible for archive development for U.S. catalog titles, excluding classical repertoire, as well as international catalog. He supervised the company's reissue divisions, including Legacy Recordings
and BMG Heritage, and worked with the heads of Sony BMG's various labels and label groups to identify and develop archival projects. He also oversaw and managed the Columbia Jazz A&R and Marketing departments.
Mr. Jones began his career at Sony in 1976 when it was CBS Records. In 1988 Mr. Jones left Columbia to join MCA as Vice President, Marketing. He moved to the PolyGram Label Group in 1991 as Vice President, Marketing where he was in charge of campaigns for a variety of artists such as U2 and Van Morrison on the Island, London and Polydor labels. In 1993 Mr. Jones moved to Elektra Entertainment
as Vice President, Marketing. Mr. Jones returned to Sony Music in 1995 as Vice President, Marketing and Product Development, Legacy Recordings
. Mr. Jones was promoted to Senior Vice President, Legacy Recordings
in 1998. He gained the additional title and responsibility as Senior Vice President Jazz, Columbia Records
in 2000.
While with Legacy, Mr. Jones spearheaded such projects as the critically acclaimed Miles Davis
re-issues series, which earned multiple Grammy awards, and the Ken Burns JAZZ project, a sweeping overview of jazz, as well as highly successful catalog campaigns for artists such as Johnny Cash
, AC/DC
, Patti Smith
and Bob Dylan
.
Quote from Mr. Jones regarding his new post:
"The opportunity to head up Apple Corps
Ltd is a dream come true! I have been a huge Beatles fan from the moment they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. The music The Beatles created remains as vital and relevant as the day it was recorded," Mr. Jones continued, "The multiple opportunities to reach music lovers, both new and old, with The Beatles spectacular body of work makes this position incredibly challenging and exciting."
Apple Corps
Apple Corps Ltd. is a multi-armed multimedia corporation founded in January 1968 by the members of The Beatles to replace their earlier company and to form a conglomerate. Its name is a pun. Its chief division is Apple Records, which was launched in the same year...
, the company founded by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. He replaced long-time incumbent Neil Aspinall
Neil Aspinall
Neil Stanley Aspinall was a British music industry executive. A school friend of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, he went on to head The Beatles' company Apple Corps....
in April 2007. Jones was formerly a vice president at Sony/BMG, where he specialised in repackaging classic albums. Jones, an American, will move to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and said his new job was "a dream come true".
During his tenure as Executive Vice President of Sony BMG Catalog, Mr. Jones was responsible for archive development for U.S. catalog titles, excluding classical repertoire, as well as international catalog. He supervised the company's reissue divisions, including Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
and BMG Heritage, and worked with the heads of Sony BMG's various labels and label groups to identify and develop archival projects. He also oversaw and managed the Columbia Jazz A&R and Marketing departments.
Mr. Jones began his career at Sony in 1976 when it was CBS Records. In 1988 Mr. Jones left Columbia to join MCA as Vice President, Marketing. He moved to the PolyGram Label Group in 1991 as Vice President, Marketing where he was in charge of campaigns for a variety of artists such as U2 and Van Morrison on the Island, London and Polydor labels. In 1993 Mr. Jones moved to Elektra Entertainment
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
as Vice President, Marketing. Mr. Jones returned to Sony Music in 1995 as Vice President, Marketing and Product Development, Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
. Mr. Jones was promoted to Senior Vice President, Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
in 1998. He gained the additional title and responsibility as Senior Vice President Jazz, Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 2000.
While with Legacy, Mr. Jones spearheaded such projects as the critically acclaimed Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
re-issues series, which earned multiple Grammy awards, and the Ken Burns JAZZ project, a sweeping overview of jazz, as well as highly successful catalog campaigns for artists such as Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Patti Smith
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
and Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
.
Quote from Mr. Jones regarding his new post:
"The opportunity to head up Apple Corps
Apple Corps
Apple Corps Ltd. is a multi-armed multimedia corporation founded in January 1968 by the members of The Beatles to replace their earlier company and to form a conglomerate. Its name is a pun. Its chief division is Apple Records, which was launched in the same year...
Ltd is a dream come true! I have been a huge Beatles fan from the moment they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. The music The Beatles created remains as vital and relevant as the day it was recorded," Mr. Jones continued, "The multiple opportunities to reach music lovers, both new and old, with The Beatles spectacular body of work makes this position incredibly challenging and exciting."