Vocalist Sharon Jones was 60-years-old when she died on this date in 2016 after succumbing to complications from pancreatic cancer. Jones and her backing band The Dap-Kings made a powerful mixture of R&B, soul and funk music, commanding attention with their 2002 debut album Daptone Records, Dap Dippin’ With Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings followed their debut with 2005’s Naturally, 2007’s 100 Days, 100 Nights, 2010’s I Learned the Hard Way and 2014’s Give the People What They Want. Daptone also released their holiday album, It’s a Holiday Soul Party in 2015. The label posthumously released Soul Of A Woman in 2017 and the covers compilation, Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Rendition Was In), earlier this year.
In addition to their outstanding studio discography, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings were equally as impressive on the live stage. In summer 2015, the group was recruited by Tedeschi Trucks Band for the inaugural Wheels Of Soul Tour, which also featured guitarist Doyle Bramhall II. That tour saw Jones sit-in with Tedeschi Trucks Band on a number of occasions.
TTB previewed the first Wheels Of Soul Tour at their May 18, 2015 show at SummerStage in Central Park in New York City. Bramhall joined the group for an extended sit-in that overlapped with Jones being brought out to sing a pair of tunes. Frontwoman Susan Tedeschi revealed she met Jones that day prior to collaborative renditions of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me” and Etta James’ “Tell Mama.” Watch their first-time collaborating below:
Watch footage of Jones and Tedeschi, with Derek Trucks and Bramhall on unplugged electric guitars, and TTB vocalists Mike Mattison and Mark Rivers, rehearsing “Bring It On Home To Me” backstage before the SummerStage gig:
All of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings joined Tedeschi Trucks Band on the Red Rocks Amphitheatre stage when Wheels Of Soul rolled into the scenic outdoor venue near Denver. The 20-musician ensemble roared through Sly & The Family Stone classics “Sing A Simple Song” and “I Want To Take You Higher.” Watch below:
Members of TTB, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and Bramhall recorded a Wheels Of Soul set for the Spotify Sessions at Spotify’s New York City offices. Tedeschi, Trucks, Brahmall, TTB drummer JJ Johnson and then bassist Tim Lefebvre, plus The Dap-Kings guitarist Binky Griptite can be seen being led by Jones on “She Ain’t A Child No More” from I Learned The Hard Way below:
.house-unit-wide { display: none; }
.house-unit-narrow{ display: block; }
@media (min-width: 768px) {
.house-unit-wide { display: block; }
.house-unit-narrow{ display: none; }
}
