Profile Edited by MPS MySpace Editor 2.0
Willie Jones, born in East St. Louis Il, began singing at the age of
six in his church choir, in which he was chosen as the lead. He also
developed an awesome talent for the drums, and he would often
rotate from the drums to the microphone. While growing up, Willie
grew a passion for songwriting and composing, which would become
an outlet to escape inner city struggles. At the age of twelve Willie
introduced his first written gospel song to his youth choir and the
song became a hit throughout his church organization as well as
other outside churches. His success writing gospel songs to his youth
choir would become short lived because he found himself struggling
with two different lifestyles, church and the streets. Pressure in his
neighborhood streets of Washington Park / East St Louis was forcing
him to become more like everyone else in those streets. He found
himself living a double life of performing for God while living a street
life. He became a witness of a lot of crime and violence, which resulted
in the loss of close friends and family. Willie was hit extremely hard
when his close cousin Tony Holloway who was killed in a drive-bye.
Tonys death would trigger a new passion to concentrate on writing,
performing, and perfecting his instrument playing. After High school,
Willie decided to pursue his music ministry full time.
Willie formed the contemporary gospel group EAC (Excited About Christ)
where he was the lead vocalist, writer and co-producer. He hooked up
with long time friend and high school band partner Theo Harden for
instrumentation assistance and Theos brother, Louis Harden, for
production assistance. The three of them formed the production group,
which is now known as MD or the Muzic Doctorz. They produced and
wrote all the songs for EAC and the group began to perform and open
for many gospel artists including Donnie McClurkin, Tonex, Hubbard
Spearmen, Lashun Pace, Pastor Shirley Caesar, and Hezekiah Walker, Kirk Franklin, Ce Ce Winans, John P Kees, Bobby Jones, and recently opening for Integrity's/Columbia's newest Christian artist Freddy Rodriguez!
After years of hard labor and sacrifice, conflicts aroused within the group.
and Willie decided to go solo as Willie J. He and his production crew MD
set out to develop a unique sound for music by mixing different cultural
elements of music and melodies to hard urban hip-hop beats. For years
they traveled to many musical cities and conventions shopping demos
and tracks for other artist. They eventually hooked up with former
Universal recording artist Pretty Willie who fell in love with their unique
sound and wanted them to produce his next independent project with
his new company WilFlo Records. While producing Pretty Willie now
known as P Dub, Willie pursued a drum career on the side while creating
a new sound for his music. His songs became edgier and the lyrical
topics became more transparent with real testimonies of his personal
struggles of living a Christian life in this new day and age. Willies' edgy
urban Christian music created a buzz in church youth group ministries
throughout East St Louis and St Louis.
Coincidentally his talents on the drums became recognized in two
international drum magazines Modern Drummer and Drumm Magazine
around the same time. Willie started to receive a lot of attention from
local St Louis news stations, radio stations, and every local St Louis Area
News Paper for his acknowledgments. He went on to sign three
professional drum endorsement deals which include: Paiste, Evans, and
Regal Tip. He also received numerous offers from independent record
labels in which he is yet to sign, until all possible options are explored.
After ten years of grinding, Willie J and MD productions credits consist of two number one singles with St. Louis recording artist Pretty Willie aka P Dub. They also have a credit
with his most recent hit single "Good Thang" on which Willie J plays live drums, acoustic guitar, and piano. They have also had live recording sessions Lil Zhane, and Cedric the Entertainer. Two major film score credits on Johnson Family Vacation and Waist Deep with hip hop-artist Mac 10. Their lastest Credit in the gospel industry is with Canton Jones on his latest album. Willie J is now promoting his newly published book entitled "The Crying Songbird". This Book is available in all major bookstores worldwide. Willie J got a major publishing deal two months after his mother passed of breast cancer. He dedicated his book in memory of her. Since then he has been interviewed by Denine Busby on Foxxy 95.5, Halleluhiah 1600 a.m. on the Praise Mix with D. Stone and Warner, 1570 am The Light in Alanta GA with Saila Rachelle,The St. Louis Post News Paper, The Belleville News-Democrat News Paper, and Channel 11 on the National TV Show (Its all about Youth). He was the first author to sale out at a major book signing Walden Books and Barnes & Nobles during his book signings. Willie J also has an album that is the soundtrack to the book entitled, (The Crying Songibird). He has a single in rotation on gospel stations in St. Louis, Sacramento California, Columbus Georgia, and Kenya Africa! Recently his single from his debut album (The Crying Songbird) entitled "I dont wanna fall" has been placed on a international compalation project for the nation of Uganda! This compalition consist of various christian artist from around the country, being entitled "Unified by Grace"! Willie have also had two of his album tracks from his debut album featured on the Christian reality show "Urban Living" on the BET Jazz staion. His single "I dont wanna fall" has been reported to saving a 16 year old girls life during a suicide attempt. He also has a radio version of his single featuring "P Dub aka Pretty Willie"! He has over 8 million profile views myspace.com. He has been featured number one on myspace.com charts worldwide for gospel independent artists. He is also preparing for a live DVD/CD recording of The Crying Songbird, which will be destributed internationally in 2009. Willie is now being heard all over the nation of Taiwan after his tour this past January 2009 opening for a Christian Praise and Worship Group (Harvest)! He is now being promoted in Kenya, Africa in preparation for his first headlining tour in Aug 2009. Willie J's book and CD are based off a true story concerning his life. Willie has testimonies of being freed of dealing drugs, drug addictions, getting cut 42 times with a blade, overdosing, facing 6 to 30 years in prison, loosing his mother and grandmother just one year apart to breast cancer, and being abused as a child. His story is not just sadness but giving the readers and listeners hope through and after the storms of life. Willie J gives God all the glory, and preaches that their is hope for all people in Jesus name!
