Aristotle Jones is known as the Appalachian Soul Man. Combining his African American roots found in the Mountain State with the music of the modern world, Jones has released two singles titled “Ready” and “Too Cool” that represent a hybrid of influences combined to create a positive new groove.
What is unique about these singles and the other new music to come from Jones is that the recordings were released on West Virginia University’s student-run label called Go 1st Records. The label was formed under the Mon Hills Music Group created by the WVU College of Creative Arts’ Music Industry Program led by professor Darko Velichkovski. Following in the footsteps of Black West Virginia music legends such as Bill Withers, Jones is about combining music from all the different cultures found in the state to create his own groove.
“I grew up in Huntington and graduated from Huntington High School back in 1998, so I was one of the original Highlanders,” said Jones. “I started playing music more seriously back in 2003. I had a band called Aristotle and the Excellent Lovers that played in Huntington a lot. In fact, we were the second band to ever play at the V Club when it opened. Now the club is known as The Loud, but that is how long I’ve been around.”
