Robert C. Jones

Robert C. Jones was an outstanding performer, playing the trombone, starting in high school. He won first place in the national solo contest in his junior year. In 1933, his senior year, he not only won first place, but was chosen to play at a special concert at Northwestern University for an audience of 14,000. Robert traveled with jazz bands and even played with Stan Kenton's Jazz Orchestra in Chicago for five weeks. He played in the Grant Park Band in Chicago and with Leonard Smith in the Detroit Concert Band. He played with the WGN Orchestra (radio) in Chicago and with the Ford Sunday Evening Hour in Detroit. His true love was playing with symphony orchestras. Jones played principal trombone with the Chicago Civic Orchestra from 1932-1937, and the Kansas City Symphony from 1937-1943. He was principal trombone for the Detroit Symphony from 1943-1949 and was chosen by Life Magazine for their December 10, 1945 issue as principal trombonist for an all country all-star symphony. During his career he played for most of the famous conductors, from Igor Stravinsky and Fritz Reiner, to Leonard Bernstein. Jones played all over the Detroit area, for the Fisher Theater, the Buick Show, and in shows by Carol Burnett and Jerry Lewis, just to mention a few. After the orchestra folded, Jones continued to perform, but also became a full time teacher of brass instruments. He was on the staff at Wayne State, Bowling Green University, Catholic Central, Brother Rice, and Cranbrook. He taught at Larry Teal's Studio in Detroit and at Royal Music in Royal Oak from 1950-2003. Jones had hundreds of students over the years and many went on to play with symphonies, bands, and professional groups across the country. It was Robert's love of music, whether it was playing, teaching, or listening, that brought him to his 101st birthday. Predeceased by his devoted wife of 56 years, Norma (Neil). Survived by his daughters, Barbara Jones, Beverly (Robert) Garcia and Sheila Jones; grandchildren, Elena Garcia (Jeff Ferreri) and Kurt (Linda) Garcia; and great-grandsons, Maximo, Xavier and Nicolas Garcia. Memorial Service Monday, September 19, at 7:00 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church, 26998 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, MI 48067. In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, 4370 Tujunga Ave., Suite 330, Studio City, CA 91604 or www.mhopus.org. The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation keeps music alive in our schools by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs, giving youngsters the many benefits of music education, helping them to be better students and inspiring creativity and expression through playing music.

Robert C. Jones

June 4, 1915 - September 9, 2016