He had to hear me sing live, and I had this song on my first album called “ Yearnin.’” I sang that song for them, and he was like, “Wow. I went into his office and played him a couple of records. We had to fly from New Jersey to Atlanta. Seeing those guys on TV, and back then, they were the hottest producers on the planet. He was chosen - and they began performing together as Porché, making a name for themselves in the crowded local scene. As a result, he was encouraged to audition for a position in a local singing group. During one of his work shifts at McDonald’s, he was discovered singing by his manager. He performed in high school talent shows around the city. While in high school, his love for music continued to grow. Two years later, he received his first instrument: an electric guitar - a Christmas gift from his parents. By the age of 12, he was writing his first composition. At the tender age of eight, he began singing.

We spoke to the singer about the making of his classic album 20 years later.ĭonell Jones’ story begins on the Southside of Chicago.īorn the son of gospel singer Roys Jones, it seemed he was destined to pursue a career in music. Source: Artist On October 12, 1999, Donell Jones released his sophomore album Where I Wanna Be, which spawned hit singles like “U Know What’s Up (Remix)” and the title track.

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