(March 15th 1889 - November 23rd 1940)

William Reese Jones was a tenor vocalist born in 1889. He was employed working a wide array of jobs ranging from banker to blacksmith prior to his 1918 recording debut. Billed as Billy Jones he had a successful recording career during the 1920's and 1930's. Billy also found fame singing on the radio and after teaming up with Ernest Hare in 1920 became a founding member of the "The Happiness Boys". The duo began performing on the radio October 18th 1921 sponsored by the Happiness Candy store chain on the Newark, New Jersey station WJZ and by 1928 they were the highest paid singers on the air waves. Their long professional partnership ended with Ernest Hare's death on March 9th 1939 leaving Jones to continue performing with his sixteen year old daughter, Marilyn Hare. Billy Jones died on November 23rd 1940.