Zona Jones Biography
ZONA JONES is no stranger to the dimly lit honkytonks and bright neon lights of country
music. Zona has shared the stage with many country stars of yesterday and today
including Johnny Paycheck, Mark Chesnutt, Tracy Lawrence, Neal McCoy, T. Graham Brown,
Steve Wariner, Gretchen Wilson, Ronnie Milsap, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Cross
Canadian Ragweed, Gary Allan, Kevin Fowler, Dierks Bentley, Mark Wills, Asleep At The
Wheel, Patty Loveless, Tracy Byrd, Daryle Singletary, LeeAnn Womack, Lee Brice, Luke
Bryan, Radney Foster, Roger Creager, Chuck Wicks, Lonestar, Wade Hayes, Clay Walker,
Mel Tillis, Johnny Bush, Rick Trevino, Restless Heart, Willie Nelson, and Trace Adkins. Zona
was raised on a West Texas ranch, where he grew up working cattle, building fence and
anything needed to keep the ranch running. He spent most of his days horseback. At night, he
listened to music. “We didn’thave TV on the ranch so we listened to the radio and our parent’s
albums (instead of doing our homework).” Zona liked everything from rock to blues but his true
love wascountry. He listened to the pure traditional sounds of George Jones, Johnny Bush,
Charlie Pride, Merle Haggard, Ray Price and Johnny Rodriguez. Like most kids growing
up in the 70s, Zona strayed from his country roots to the more popular rock/pop music of
the day, but not for long. He was drawn back to his early influences with the resurgence
of traditional country music in the early 80s. “I’ll never forget the first time I heard
George Strait. It was unbelievable, my friends and I finally just wore out our copy of Strait
Country. That rekindled the childhood flame of wanting to be a country singer. I knew
then, that this is what I wanted to do.” After graduating from Baylor University and St.
Mary’s University - School of Law, Zona set aside his dreams of becoming a country
singer and took a job with a prominent law firm in Beaumont, Texas. Oddly enough (and
completely unknown to Zona), Beaumont was experiencing a country music revival of its
own. Southeast Texas had long been known as the home of the “Possum” George Jones and
many other great talents, but it was about to get a country music makeover in the form of Mark
Chesnutt, Tracy Byrd and Clay Walker. Living in Beaumont and watching his new friends
succeed in the industry inspired Zona to make music a priority in his life. “I started going out to
the clubs where Mark and Tracy were playing. We became friends
and I watched them go from local country singers to big country music stars. Watching
them make the transition gave me some small hope that I might be able to make it too.”
On July 30, 1993, Zona and his band, Swing West, played their first show together at the Neon
Armadillo in Beaumont. Zona has never looked back. He immediately gained a following
through his appearances in the local clubs like Cutters, Bourbon Street and Get Down
Browns. It didn’t take long until he was playing all over Southeast Texas and
Southwest Louisiana and opening shows for major label recording artists. With the
release of his long-awaited first CD Harleys & Horses, Zona is ready to take the next step in
the world of today’s country music…something he’s dreamed about for an awful long
time!