By Teino Evans, Staff ReporterIT IS often said that no matter how far away God's children may stray, they will eventually find their way back home.
This is what Jamaican-born singer Barbara Jones believes happened to her, as after many years of singing in the secular world she has made the crossover to being a gospel artiste.
Jones says she grew up in the church and was always taught the teachings of God, but as she grew older she found herself straying further away from the church.
Going in steady pursuit of her musical career, Jones started singing reggae in the early 1970s. Her talent soon gained her international acclaim in 1972, when she released her debut album Sad Movies. She followed that up with a huge hit in Just When I Needed You Most, which entered the British charts and led to her appearing on 'Top of the Pops' in England.
Jones has released 13 secular albums and walked away with numerous awards, among them the International Female Artiste of the year in 1983 and 1984.
The fame and success for Jones did not end there, however, as her 1985 release Dream Lover won her the Top Female International Reggae Artiste of the Year at the Canadian Reggae Awards.
In 1989 all this came to an end, as Jones went on a soul-searching mission to find new purpose for her life.
"People always encouraged me that if I sang gospel I would feel so much better," Jones recalls. She says she was hesitant, because she hadn't committed her life fully to the Lord.
As faith and fate would have it, Jones eventually decided that it was time for a total change in her life and in 1991 (on Good Friday), Jones became a Christian and was baptised.
Jones' faith in God has not failed her, as she has been having a successful run in gospel. Jones has released three gospel albums Jesus is calling Barbara Jones (produced by Lloyd Campbell on the VP label); Thank You Lord For Your Blessings and her latest So Much to Thank Him For, the latter two produced by Silver Lining Promotions.
"It wasn't difficult for me to fit in, because the foundation was already laid by my grandmother who I grew up with," Jones explained. According to Jones, growing up with her Grandmother in Porus, Manchester, gave her the right start in life, as she was taken to Sunday School from an early age to learn about the teachings of Jesus.
"I think it is important for parents to bring their children to Sunday School, for example, because in my case no matter how far I stray, I will always come back to my foundation," Jones said.
Jones describes her new album as Caribbean flavoured, with the sound of drums and bass, mixed with a little soca, reggae and slow-type hymns. The album has 10 tracks, three of which are done in medley form (soca/calypso, reggae and prayer choruses).
Starting in May, Jones will be off to Toronto and then on to Virginia where she will be promoting her new album.
