Royston Jones Country singer and guitarist

Hi Tomas,

      I was a close friend of Royston and family when I lived in Los Cris until 2004.

I recall a few bass players who accompanied him during the preceding years, but sorry I cannot place you without a photo .

You may have heard that he had a serious health problem around about 2003 and so he could not work for a while. He did eventually begin working in the corner bar across the road from Los Tarajales, but unfortunately I lost touch with him when I moved to mainland Spain around that time.

I wonder if you had any success catching up with him since this letter.

Best Regards,

Arthur G.. (Arturo)

Good times at Los Tarajales.
That’s me on the left, Royston to right, Eileen centre.

Regards Arthur.

Hi Arturo/Authur

Great to hear from you. I have been looking for Roy for some time. Last time I saw him was as his bass player in Tenerife in a duo at Las Tarajalas bar.in Dec 1998 through to February 1999. I started played with Roy when he was still living in Great Harwood in Lancashire in the United Kingdom in the 1980s when his daughter Shirley sand with him through to when his second wife appeared with his band.'Royston Jones and Easy Listening.. I was the lead guitarist. There was a record of the band. I was the guitarist on the recording sessions done at a studio in Great Harwood, Roy's home town, along with Roy on guitar/vocals, Dave Tomlinson on bass, Mick Clayton on drums and Shirley Jones his daughter on some vocals. I think it may still be in circulation called 'By Request Easy Listening.' as an LP album and possibly a CD.

So he had a health problem. Because of this I think he would have remained in Tenerife but may have moved to be nearer to his daughter or his daughter may have moved to Spain. He reunited with Eileen his first wife who joined him in Tenerife after after he and his second wife divorced.

This is all I am aware of. I have not been back to Tenerife since Feb 1999, and I imagine a lot of changes may have happened.

Great to make yourself known to me and if I can come up with anything I will contact you right away and vice versa I hope. We became close friends through working as musicians seven nights a week. He was like an elder brother. He accommodated me for some nights whilst I was looking for an apartment to rent. I miss those days and have often thought of returning back to Tenerife when able. Covid happened and as it did with so many people scuppered my plans. I wished to relocate there when I retired. I am now 70 and it is still on my mind to relocate and retire to Spain. .I am actively searching for a small apartment on long term rental in Spain. 

My telephone number is 00 44 776 186 8151 international and good for texts. If you have a contact number you are agreeable to let me have I can stay in touch and let you know if I come up with anything about Roy.

Thanks very much again for contacting. Now I know a little more.

Please stay safe and well and stay in touch with any news you may have.

I send my very best wishes that all goes how you would wish .

Have an enjoyable festive, stay safe and well and, a Happy New Year weekend to you.

Tomas

Tomas Alberto Maria Levette. Dr. [retired]  

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Hi Tomas,

      I had some great times back then when Royston and family were around. Sadly a lot of previous memories are long gone as I’m not quite with it now, having been badly affected by Parkinsons for some years. Shirley was a wonderful singer, probably good enough to make it on her own, however she had a good career in banking which took priority.
    I passed on  to Roy some tapes of a U.K. country singer called Ollie Austin, with a very similar style which he liked very much and he used some of the songs in his act.. I also had the honour of singing on stage with Royston on a couple of occasions.

    Unfortunately I lost touch with the regulars when I moved on to a country place near Valencia. I’m not sure how long Royston would have been able to continue after suffering a stroke which I think would have had a long term detrimental effect and my guess would be that eventually he probably returned home to be close to the rest of his family. He had only recently moved into a new apt near Adele which he’d looked forward to for a long time. I understand it was very nice, but the main drawback was that it was quite a distance for him to travel every night.

    Sorry I have no more info, as things also changed quite a lot for myself after I moved on, fortunately mostly very pleasantly, until I was stricken with my present ailment which has confined me back to my roots in the U.K. for the past two years.

     Wishing you all the Very Best for the New Year and the future.

I would be very interested in hearing any more info you may come across.

    Best Regards,  Arthur G.

 Sadly I heard from a close friend that Royston passed away last July.

A momentum from his earlier days.

Dear Arturo

I am very sorry to hear this about Roy. He was a loyal friend and musician/singer whose talent dwarfed that of many better known artists. He had a special unique voice and style that should have gone much much further than it did. I have always thought this.

Thank you so much for sending over a copy of the By Request, Easy Listening, album front showing Roy, his daughter Shirley and Dave Tomlinson on bass.

I remember as Roy's lead guitar player going along to that photo shoot in a rest area near Whalley in Lancashire. Roy was based in Great Harwood near Whalley at that time. Roy decided on the day that I was not to be included in the shoot as I did not have a matching shirt!

I have tried to get a copy of the album for posterity and as evidence that I did play with the band, difficult as it has been discontinued.

I was wondering if you have the album still, if it is possible for you to send over the reverse side which has the details of the band, track list and band write up. You would make an old man happy if you could do this

Whjatever, in any case it is always great to make a new contact and friend. Happy to make your acquaintance and hope to hear from you again.

Take to stay safe and well..Send my best wishes

Sincerely

Tomas

tom levette-

Tomas Alberto Maria Levette.Dr.[retired]

c/o Sandy Nelson

18 Colthirst Drive.

Clitheroe

Lancashire

BB7 2EJ

Tel:_ 00 44 776 186 8151

Hi! I was just thinking about Royston Jones this afternoon, when I had just listened to Johnny Cash sing Ring of Fire.I was wondering if he was still alive.

It may be a completely different Royston Jones to the one I new in the 70s and 80s. But my man was an excellent Country singer, At the time he lived in Accrington, Lancashire and was lead singer in a four piece band. The band were so good that they were offered work on a ship, entertaining. Royston was recently married and I think he had a baby and decided he couldn’t go.

I had seen him a few times and he recognised me and my wife and came and sat with us. He was very despondent about not going with the rest of the group and wondered if he could get work as a solo artist.

I worked in a large factory and had somehow got the part time job of organising office parties and dances and was able to offer him an immediate booking in the following week. i booked him quite a few times and he started to be well known and entertained regularly in working men’s clubs. He  once rang me to say that he had a terrible cold and could not make it it a party where I had arranged that he would sing for dancing. This put me in a quandary as I had praised him heavily to the party goers. I tried to get someone else at short notice but failed. I asked if could recommend    Anyone but he volunteered to make it and do his best but didn’t think he would be able to sing. He made it.sang pretty good and everyone gave him a standing ovation.

Hope he is still with us and still performing, though he is younger than me but must be in his eighties. Bye for now.