From PEMBERVILLE OPERA HOUSE
Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. is a Detroit-based musician, storyteller, educator, and preacher whose multifaceted career spans more than four decades will perform a Live in the House show Saturday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the historic Pemberville Opera House, 115 Main St.
A nationally recognized blues educator and cultural historian, Rev. Jones uses his talents in music, storytelling, and ministry to inspire, entertain, and teach. Encouraged early on by the legendary Willie Dixon, he has spent much of his life bringing traditional African American music into schools and communities, celebrating cultural diversity as a strength to be embraced rather than merely tolerated. In 2007, the National Blues Foundation honored him for his contributions to blues education.
An award-winning multi-instrumentalist and recording artist, Jones plays guitar, harmonica, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and ukulele. He has performed across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and has shared his knowledge through courses at Wayne State University and Berklee College of Music.
His storytelling has been featured at top festivals nationwide, and his work as a public radio host, educator, and keynote speaker has deepened his mission to connect communities through music and history.
Whether performing solo, with his family ensemble The Jones Trio, or through Common Chords, the nonprofit he co-founded, Rev. Jones brings depth, heart, and authenticity to every stage he graces.
Acclaimed photographer James Fraher writes about Robert: “Perhaps the world’s most highly educated blues musician, an ordained minister, a longtime DJ, and a living encyclopedia of blues history, the Reverend Robert Jones is comfortable among juke joint loud talkers, fancy-hatted church ladies, and PhDs alike.”
