John Jones
Vocalist and melodeon player, Oysterband
John Jones is the founding vocalist and melodeon player of Oysterband, one of the longest-running and most respected names in British folk-rock. Formed out of the Oyster Ceilidh Band in the late 1970s, the group became a leading voice in the politically-charged folk-rock movement of the 1980s, releasing acclaimed albums including Step Outside, Holy Bandits and, alongside singer June Tabor, Freedom and Rain and Ragged Kingdom.
Jones himself confirms in the band's official biography that he was born in Aberystwyth, Wales, though brought up in Meltham, Yorkshire, after his family moved. He has written candidly about growing up feeling caught between identities - his father rarely spoke Welsh, partly to avoid being mocked with the nickname "Taffy" - but has described himself as proud of his Welsh roots, and in later life settled near the Welsh border while working to learn the language.
Over more than four decades, Oysterband toured extensively, won multiple BBC Folk Awards, and built a reputation as pioneers of a distinctly British take on roots rock. In 2024 Jones, alongside fellow founders Alan Prosser and Ian Telfer, announced the band's retirement from touring, while continuing new musical projects.