The Bones of Jr. Jones

The Bones of Jr. Jones, launched in 2012, is Jonathon Linaberry’s alternative blues musical project. Born and raised in central New York, Linaberry’s passion for music was jump started at age 6.

The Vogue described the Bones of Jr. Jones’ style as “haunting stomp blues tempered with a touch of honey.”

Early life

Linaberry was born in 1982. He was a middle child of three boys, all of whom were forced by their mother to learn the piano from age 6. Linaberry was the only brother who continued his musical endeavors as he grew up. After completing high school, he went to the Pratt Institute to study art and design education. During multiple interviews, Linaberry explains how he wished he’d gone to school for music, as he feels like he’s lacking in some fundamentals of his craft. Linaberry is a completely self taught musician, focusing his musical time on the guitar and banjo.

From an early age, Linaberry found himself gravitating towards the punk genre, a development that was sparked by the dirty music scene of Brooklyn at the time. Linaberry found himself a member of multiple punk bands, including Trouble Loves Me, a melodic punk band based out of Syracuse, New York. Around age 19, Linaberry’s musical desires made a unique shift to blues. In an interview with A-Sides, he discusses the influence of a Blind Lemon Jefferson record that sparked a passion for the blues.

On nights he wasn’t playing shows at small venues or in the subway, stations, he was a late night bartender in Brooklyn. While performing continued to be his passion, Linaberry became a preschool music teacher in his early career. He continued his side gigs throughout this time.

Career

The Bones of Jr. Jones was first launched in 2012 as a solo project and debuted with an EP called The Wildness. To this day, his music style is associated with alternative blues and dirty, vintage folk. In 2014, the Bones of Jr. Jones released his first album, Dark was the Yearling. The Bones of Jr. Jones is known to impress on stage, as he switches between guitar, banjo, drums, and harmonica throughout his sets. Recently, Linaberry has brought musicians on stage to perform background for him, but is still regularly known as a solo artist.

Discography

Dark was the Yearling (2014): This album served as the jumping off point for the Bones of Jr. Jones. The set is mostly acoustic and features Linaberry as a solo artist through his switches between instruments with little filler sound in the background.

The Spirit’s Furnace (2016): This album included more stomping sounds and musical grit which Linaberry now associates with his natural music style.

One to Keep Close (2018): This album featured more electric instruments and included other musicians in the production.

Slow lightning (2023): This album was the first written since Linaberry moved from NYC to an old farm house in the Catskills with his wife. In interviews, Linaberry discusses the struggle he encountered while getting the ball rolling for these songs. He explains the transition of lifestyles to have been the biggest barrier, though he is now proud of his final product. Linaberry believes the song “Salt, Sour, Sweet” sums up the story the album is trying to tell.

Singles/EPs

Title	Year
"The Wildness"	2012
"Shine on Me/Dreams to Tell"	2013
"Spirit's Furnace"	2016
"A Celebration"	2021
"Trouble/Undone"	2022

Personal Life

Linaberry married his long time girlfriend Lisa Przystup in September, 2015. The couple moved to an old farmhouse in the Catskills in 2021 where they are currently residing.

Upcoming Tours

Slow Lightning Tour: The slow lightning tour is scheduled to continue through the end of April, 2024, ending in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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