Remembering Mose Jones

In light of the year 2001's unforeseen, untimely, tragic set of events and circumstances....

Actually, there were TWO "Mose Jones" bands, separated by a couple of years, a couple of different band members, and 2 different record companies with different producers...

Mose Jones #1:

Randy Lewis, Bryan Cole, Jimmy O'Neill, Steve McRay

Label: Sounds of the South / MCA - Produced by Al Kooper

2 albums: #1 "Get Right" & #2 "Mose Knows"

Mose Jones #2:

Randy Lewis, Steve McRay, Marvin Taylor, Chris Seymour

Label: RCA / BGO - Produced by Buddy Buie with Tad Bush

2 albums: #1 "Blackbird" & #2 recorded but never released 2nd album

(the song "Alien", which the "Atlanta Rhythm Section" recorded and had a top 20 hit with, was from the 2nd unreleased album)

Single "Does Your Mama Know About Me" released in 1973 MCA/Sounds of the South Records

Producer-performer Al Kooper had been visiting Atlanta since he played the first Atlanta Pop Festival in 1969. The southern rock scene was exploding, and Kooper had noticed the abundance of talent in and about Atlanta. With the backing of MCA Records, he launched the Sounds Of The South label with the initial deal calling for four new artists-three of which returned out to be Los Angeles funk band Elijah, Kooper's own reformed Blues Project, and the Atlanta bar band Mose Jones. It was on Mose Jones' recommendation that the final spot was filled by Skynyrd. Kooper jammed with the group at Funochios, and after some initial hesitancy, Lynyrd Skynyrd signed on.

All of Mose Jones' Albums were recorded at the legendary "Studio One" recording Studio in Doraville, Ga.

Answering E-mail about "What ever happened to Mose Jones"

We had a special sound back then, and enjoyed playing just about any place we could play...lot's of memories. I get many e-mails these days about Mose Jones, so I'm creating a Web site for that very reason; to update what happened to the band. Unfortunately, not all updated news is good news.

There were actually 2 Mose Jones groups. The 1972-75 (2 albums on MCA/Sounds of the South Records, Al Kooper producing) and the 1978-1981 (2 albums on RCA Records, Buddy Buie producing). Randy Lewis and I were in both bands. (Here is where the bad news starts...)

Randy had been living and playing in Key West for some time, but last Feb.(2001), he had a massive heart attack and passed away about a week later. He lived life pretty hard, so it was not totally unexpected, but very tragic none the less. The very next day, Bryan Cole, the drummer in Mose #1, and our drummer in Java Monkey, had a massive heart attack, and his aorta ruptured as well...totally unexpected! After 4 operations in 5 days, Bryan survived, but had to have his right leg amputated, from lack of blood flow. He is in good shape now, and is working on staying in good health, and mastering his new age of mobility, his prosthetic leg...he's playing with us again, singing background vocals and playing percussion along with our current drummer, John Holder. (...the trilogy of bad news)

Immediately after Bryan started to heal, Jimmy O'Neill, Mose #1 guitar player, was diagnosed with Brain cancer; it wasn't good. It was one of the most progressive types of cancer. After 6 months of surgery's and therapy's, Jimmy passed away last September (2001). Jimmy was one of the nicest guys I've ever known, and one of the most talented...he will be missed dearly.

Roses Cantina - One of the many Atlanta bars where Mose played...the sign and many memories are still around.

Georgia Land & Lumber Co. in Saint Simons Island, Georgia. This was our all-time favorite place to play!!

If any one has pictures of Mose Jones, you can email them to me and I'll add them to this website...