John Paul Jones (musician)

John Paul Jones (born John Baldwin; 3 January 1946) is an English musician and record producer who was the bassist and keyboardist for the rock band Led Zeppelin. He was a session musician and arranger when he formed the band with Jimmy Page in 1968. Jones developed a solo career after drummer John Bonham died and Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980. He has collaborated with musicians in a variety of genres, including the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures with Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, and Alain Johannes. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 as a member of Led Zeppelin.

John Paul Jones in 2010

Quotes about John Paul Jones

• It takes a special kind of musician to stand onstage with Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Bonham and hold their own. John Paul Jones is that musician twice over, primarily on bass but also on keys. Jonesy’s Jazz Bass is an integral part of the Led Zeppelin sound, with its thunderous harmonic overtones providing a solid bed for Page to go ham all over while also not getting lost underneath the almighty power of Bonham’s gloriously animalistic drumming style.
  • Peter Hodgson of Mixdown [1]

• Perhaps the most interesting and undoubtedly impressive aspect of Jones' run is the fact he's essentially had two careers. The first came with Led Zeppelin, where he was arguably the most unheralded member of the legendary rock outfit . When Led Zeppelin disbanded following drummer John Bonham's death, Jones ensured he kept his bass plugged in. Jones, whose professional career began as a technically sound session player capable of playing anything from blues to hard rock, had no trouble making a living while working with the likes of R.E.M, Foo Fighters, and Peter Gabriel in his post-Zeppelin world.
  • Jeff Mezydlo of Yardbarker (February 2025) [2]