Terrence A Jones

"Truly A Renaissance Man". (May 28, 1950- February 20, 2017). Text: (Prepared by his wife, Sheila A. Jones) As of Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, approximately 5:30pm (cst) my beautiful husband, Terrence Ashton Jones' brilliantly courageous 17 year battle with severe kidney and heart failure ended. My husband, Terry was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Anna and Ned Jones. Anna Reed Jones was a major fashion designer artist for the Milwaukee newspapers, however, because of the state of race relations at the time, she never received recognition nor compensation. Imagine the impression of having a mother who not only was a fashion design artist, but also a devoted Classical literature scholar, who knew poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar and soliloquies from William Shakespeare's MacBeth and Othello by heart. His father, Ned Jones was a passionate lover of Opera and Classical orchestral music, with a strong love of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Sheherazade". Terry said that sitting with his father, drinking coffee, and listening to this music set him on a path of love of music. He was conscious and clear that his passion was connected to his father's World War II experiences in the Italian theater. While most African Americans serving at the beginning of WW II were assigned to non-combat units and relegated to service duties, such as supply, maintenance, and transportation, their work behind front lines was equally vital to the war effort. Many drove for the famous "Red Ball Express," which carried a half million tons of supplies to the advancing First and Third Armies through France. By 1945, however, troop losses virtually forced the military to begin placing more African American troops into positions as infantrymen, pilots, tankers, medics, and officers in increasing numbers. In all positions and ranks, they served with as much honor, distinction, and courage as any American soldier did. An explosion of the truck his father was driving caused severe damage to his body, for which he was never adequately treated causing his life to be chronically disabled. This personal history also established a strong commitment for Justice. "Terry" has been characterized as "truly a Renaissance Man" for good reason. While he was a product of the Milwaukee Public School system, Terry took advantage of the classical European cultural matrix which promoted self-learning and exploration of multiculturalism. For my husband this meant an early passion for the German culture which dominated the Milwaukee community, such that he is a self-taught German speaker, as well as an accomplished Bass-Baritone vocalist, with particular focus on German Lied, and special attention on Song-Cycles of Franz Schubert and Ludwig van Beethoven. His signature pieces being "Der Atlas" from the Schubert Song Cycle "Schwanegesang"(Swan Song), D. 957 and Beethoven's "Opferlied" (The Song of Sacrifice) (Op. 121b.) His choral accomplishments include Haydn's "Creation", Handel's "Messiah", Beethoven's "Choral Fantasy" and Brahms' "Alto Rhapsody", which he organized to support my studies. However, that his father chose to see the beauty of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Sheherazade" and Italian opera as a gift from the war, he introduced the little boy, Terry to a love of classical music. This led to Terry falling in love with Italian opera such that he mastered the Neopolitan vocal repertoire as a weapon of optimism to all who met him. He also explored the realms of Jazz and Rock music, such that as a young man he was the lead singer/percussionist for a young band, {River} which caused him to the experience of a Las Vegas performer. He is currently, a friend, collaborator of the great New Orleans Blues artist, Theryl "Houseman" De Clouet of Galactic, a Funk, and Jazz Band. Their Brotherhood was born as they both were new Dialysis patients in the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Dialysis Unit in Chicago. Constantly trying to discover the "oneness" of cultures, he studied at the Wisconsin Concervatory of Music, as well as took undergraduate studies at Marquette University, the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), not to mention Purdue University. Embracing his African American roots, Terry has been an inspiring collaborator in reviving the beauty of the Negro Spirituals as a universal art-form, which links European classical culture to America, with his dear, now deceased friends, the great Bariton William Warfield (Uncle Bill) and Metropolitan opera's Robert McFerrin. What has made my husband more the embodiment of "the Renaissance Man" has been his courageous work on William Shakespeare. This work has been ground-breaking because he has taken the plays of William Shakespeare and made them accessible to all. He loved the comedies, the tragedies and the history plays. Many have believed that this must be the root of his tremendous humor, and his popularity as one of the most engaging culturally-diverse dialect performers, as many have enjoyed his one-man insightful experiences. In 2000, facing the first round of health challenges with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Terry decided to apply his life's energy to the direction of a full production, all Five-Acts of William Shakespeare's King Lear in Chicago in several Chicago Park District field house theaters. His cast consisted of amateur performers of friends, including neighborhood children. The costumes, makeup and scenery were all constructed by his amazing cast and supporters. One critic wrote: "... I am very much in awe of the challenge you have taken up with your performance of King Lear...In this current tidal-wave of smallness and despair, where all do speak torrential fantasies of defeat, the future will greatly remember what you do here, and the great role you are playing to so many hope for the Future." Terry came into my life through the efforts of my departed Hero-Brother, Vincent Arturo Dawson, who vetted Terry for two years to see whether he was "good enough for his sister." Through the seventeen (17) year battle, Terry continued to sing, compose, write entertain and love. The last thing he was working on was supporting CSO Zell Music Director, Riccardo Muti and my founding of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's African American Network. It just successfully celebrated its inaugural event on Feb. 25, 2017 with a celebration of National Black History Month featuring a film screening of Oscar Micheaux's 1925 silent movie "Body and Soul" with new music from Chicago's own Conductor/Composer/Violinist and Violist, Renee Baker at Symphony Center. On behalf of all his family, numerous god-children and friends We salute this amazing Man. We will miss my dear Love so much. A Terry Jones Memorial Fund has been set up by our God-Daughter, Leah Velez. https://www.gofundme.com/terry-jones-memorial-fund.