Singer Howard Jones Talks Performing, His Family & What He Really Thinks of Ringo Starr (EXCLUSIVE)
Plus, the ‘No One Is to Blame’ singer reveals the best advice Ringo ever gave him
Howard Jones is no stranger to seeing his name at the top of the music charts, plastered on billboards outside arenas worldwide or hearing his tunes on the radio. Since making his debut on the music scene more than 40 years ago, the singer has scored 15 Top 40 hit singles between 1983 and 1992, including “Everlasting Love,” “Things Can Only Get Better” and “What Is Love?” His 1986 hit “No One Is to Blame” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his first No. 1 song on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart.
Howard Jones’ worldwide success also includes a six-week tour with Ringo Starr of The Beatles, a performance at the 27th Grammy Awards in February 1985 alongside Stevie Wonder and opening for Barenaked Ladies on their 2016 tour.
Recently, Jones has been working on his third album, and on February 6, he will kick off a North American tour featuring 18 performances running through March 2. The tour will benefit the Celia Hammond Animal Trust—a cause very close to his heart.
Here, Howard Jones, who is also set to celebrate his 70th birthday this month, sat down with Woman’s World to talk about his passion for music—and what he really thinks of Ringo Starr!
Woman’s World (WW): What was the driving force for you to collaborate with Celia Hammond Animal Trust?
Howard Jones: This was a natural fit for me. I have always been supportive of animal rights because I love animals. I’ve also been a vegetarian for over 50 years, so as you can see it’s a cause near and dear to my heart. I also love Ceila, and I am a fan of what she is doing, especially because so many pets are being abandoned on the streets.
WW: You’ve been a household name since the early 80’s and to this day, you haven’t slowed down. Your next North American tour begins in February 2025. Does being on stage still give you the same thrill?
Howard Jones: Absolutely. It’s the best job in the world. To sing songs that lift people’s spirits and make them happy, despite whatever troubles they may be facing, I see it as my responsibility to give them a really great night. I want everyone to walk out of a venue with a spring in their step.
I am so grateful to be in a position to do this. Do I have to do it? No. I love doing it and I never tire of it. Every audience is different, but the one commonality every show has is that it always gets better and better.
WW: What goes through your mind when you see a sold-out arena and thousands of people all there for you
Howard Jones: I am grateful. These people spend money to get tickets, babysitters, they must drive to the performance and I appreciate what they go through to be there. I want them to know I really care about the sacrifices they made, which is why I give it my all for every performance.
WW: Do you love it when the fans sing along and know your music?
Howard Jones: That is such a thrill! I never tire of it. That is just so great—to have the whole room sing your songs along with you. It’s hard to beat that one.
WW: Do you have a ritual you do before stepping out into the spotlight?
Howard Jones: I do! I am more disciplined than when I was younger, so now, I have a vocal coach who has given me tapes that have exercises I do for my voice before I go on stage. That’s helpful for hitting the ground running when you go out to perform.
I am also a Buddhist, so I spend ten minutes chanting for the audience to be safe arriving, driving home and having a great night.
WW: When you became a household name you quickly became a pioneer in developing direct, DIY, connection with your fans. You were also the first artist to make a recording of that night’s gig available on CD and it would include digital artwork of photos taken during the performance.
Howard Jones: I was always keen to be of my time. It’s important to use the instruments, the keyboards and the technology that can help make music. When the Internet started, I thought it was a great way to keep in touch with fans all over the world, so I embraced it and learned how to use it.
My philosophy is, if you wait around to get the biggest record deal, the biggest manager or booked at the biggest venue, other opportunities might pass you by, which is why it’s so important to be DIY, record your own albums, book your own tours and be in contact with your fans. It really keeps your finger on the pulse. It’s hard work but for me, exciting at the same time because it allows me to keep moving forward and not live in the past.
WW: Your most recent studio album, DIALOGUE, contains eight songs and was released in September 2022. It’s part of a trilogy of other new material, one dating back to 2019. Tell me about this idea to continue sharing your music.
Howard Jones: I had this idea to encourage myself in different ways to keep making new music. It can get difficult because you know what people love to hear, especially if they grow up with it. As a performer, it’s important to keep moving forward and write new material. What I did was set a goal for myself where I would produce four albums over the next decade, and they would have a theme.
I named them; Engage, Transform, Dialogue and then the fourth one that I am starting this year is called Global Citizen. Those four titles relate to each other and Engage with the world. With Transform, if we want to change the world, we must start with ourselves by changing our behavior and how we think so, we can contribute too.
With Dialogue, it’s like going out and having conversations with people to find out about them, trade ideas and being communicative. Global Citizen is more along the lines of remembering everything we do affects everything we do and when we do it right, it helps the planet.
WW: Sounds like a tall order.
Howard Jones: I said to myself, if I commit to doing this my fans will hold me to account.
WW: A lot of artists reveal a lot about themselves and their private life through their music and lyrics. Do you do the same?
Howard Jones: Mainly, I don’t do that. My songs are usually about the philosophy of living, how we negotiate being human beings and what is the best way to think and act. Then there are the albums like the People (1998), which was much more personal and revealed by inner thoughts about life. I guess I have done both.
WW: Speaking of being in front of a large crowd, in 2001 you shared the stage with Ringo Starr by playing keyboards on the Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band Tour. I am all ears…
Howard Jones: (laughs) I would not be in anyone else’s band but Ringo Starr’s. When he asked me to tour with him for six weeks I jumped at the opportunity and said there is only one answer to that and that was, YES!
WW: Were you a Beatles fan?
Howard Jones: I grew up listening to their music and wore out their records because I listened to them so much. I still think Ringo Starr is the best drummer of all time, I don’t care what anybody says, he is so good.
WW: What was your reaction when Ringo Starr picked you?
Howard Jones: I was intimidated (laughs) because I was going to be playing keyboards with all these amazing artists and Ringo Starr. I knew I had a lot of songs to learn, and I had to be good.
Yes, there was a bit of panic going on because unlike picking up a guitar, when you are behind the keyboard you have to know how to play everything including the string part, the brass part, the organ part and you basically have to do everything. I spent a lot of time preparing for this. It was also brilliant to be with Ringo, talk to him about his time with The Beatles and I got to know Sheila E. It was a wonderful experience and one I will always treasure.
WW: Tell me something no one else knows about Ringo Starr?
Howard Jones: Once I was in Santa Monica and I heard Ringo Starr was there. He must have known I was there too because his assistant came up to me and said Ringo wants to sing with you and the band.
He performed a few songs with us, and it was so amazing. I can’t describe the feeling I had being there with him. I have so many great memories with Ringo, and I remember a lot of the things he said to me such as, “I really want to stay healthy and fit because I want to see my grandchildren grow up.” That was such a profound thing to say. I mean wanting to keep yourself in shape, your brain sharp to be there for everyone else…that to me was the true definition of a great man. I really love him.
WW: You grew up around music. In fact, your siblings were musically talented. Was it always your dream to become a big star?
Howard Jones: I was never obsessed about becoming famous, I just knew I wanted to play music, write songs, play chords and get the chance to do that for people. I think it’s also a good idea not to be too famous because with that comes added pressure and you can’t be free to do what you would like to do. I don’t know if it is a good aspiration to be so famous. For me, I think I am in the middle and that’s a comfortable place for me. I can get on with my work and have a balance in my life so for that, I am fortunate.
WW: What’s your secret for staying so grounded?
Howard Jones: My Buddhist practice I do every day. It helps me with my mental health, have a positive attitude, treat and respect people, engage with them and for me that’s a priority. As artists, we tend to be self-critical of our performance, singing and our work. For me, it’s great to have practice nurturing and encouraging yourself. You also must look after your health, get good sleep, stay hydrated and hang out with good people.
WW: You have been married for almost 50 years. That in itself is something to celebrate.
Howard Jones: When Jan and I had our kids, we took them on the road with us when they were young. They traveled around the world and had dozens of uncles and aunties, which were my crew. But when they became of school age, I had to go out and tour on my own.
For me, that was a difficult time. Yes, I need to do what I do but I also wanted to be with them and for them. It was tough to be away for a few months on tour. I am also fortunate that Jan is a strong lady. To me a strong relationship is when people can stand on their own and when they combine, it’s even better. For us, it has always been the two of us and we are still so happy together after more than four decades.
WW: Was It hard to also juggle the responsibility of being a dad?
Howard Jones: When I was home, I was home. I did not work, I was there for them. As they grew older, I think they learned how to be independent people because of it. But looking back, when they were in school, it was hard not to be there when I really wanted to be there.
WW: Family is everything to you.
Howard Jones: Yes, we are a very close family, so I guess it all worked it out. Family has always been so important to me. We don’t live together anymore because my children are grown but we talk every day.
In fact, my daughter does my social media. She is so brilliant at it and she knows me so well. Jan is always involved in the music and comes with me on tour. My son designs the clothes, and it’s so nice to have them involved. Funny because I did not push for it to have them work with me. I think they just naturally gravitated to it and wanted to contribute to what I do.
WW: Did they always understand who you were?
Howard Jones: This is a funny story. When my daughter was younger and the kids went around the classroom to talk about what their dads did, my daughter replied, “He sits home and listens to music.” She wasn’t wrong by the way, because I do.
Now that they are adults, yes, they understand the nature of my job since they have grown up around it. But for them, this was a normal life. Being on tour buses, standing on a big stage with lots of people around and listening to music.
Another funny story, when I played The Forum with Ringo Starr I had my family with me. My youngest son was about six or seven and slept through the whole concert because I think he was jet-lagged. (laughs)
WW: Billy Joel once said he doesn’t like singing his hit song, Tell Her About It. Is there a song you don’t particularly like?
Howard Jones: Not really but if I had to pick one, I would say Look Mama from the Dream Into Action album. I don’t like it because it’s very high. I can get the notes but it’s an effort because it’s a lot of falsetto. Also, the lyrics. I remember playing it for my own mother and she thought I wrote it about her, which it wasn’t and I didn’t.
The song was written in response to my fans who wrote to me about the struggles they were having with their parents. My mom was the complete opposite, and I am lucky because she did let me live my life and because of that, here I am.
WW: You have a big milestone birthday coming up—70! Will this mean you will start slowing down?
Howard Jones: No way. I am having too much fun. Besides, I still love what I do and hope to always be doing it for as long as possible.
Conversation
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