Founding their self-named company in 1930, the Jones’ family has branded the Canadian entertainment industry with a legacy of close to 90 years in the making. Today, third generation brothers Brad and Greg Jones are advancing this legacy through their boutique agency Jones Entertainment Group (JEG).
The Jones legacy traces back to Wonderland Gardens where owners and first generation brothers, Charles and Wilf Jones, showcased the talent of close friend Guy Lombardo and The Royal Canadians throughout the 1960s. Before long, Charles’ son Don was following in his father footsteps and promoting his own concerts at the well-established venue. In 1982, Don met CBC children’s icon Mr. Dressup (Ernie Coombs) and together they embarked on a 20 year journey of touring success. Don and Ernie developed a steadfast friendship that continued long after their touring stopped. Following Ernie’s retirement, these two best friends could still be found on the golf course each year, raising funds for Peter Gzowski’s Literacy foundation. From 1999 onwards, Don’s primary focus was on the late Stuart McLean; CBC radio host and best-selling author. Together they covered coast-to-coast Canada and the northern United States, playing over 50 live shows each year with The Vinyl Cafe.
Leading the next generation, JEG President Brad Jones personally manages the touring careers of distinguished artists such as Alice Cooper, Thunder From Down Under, Dallas Smith, Cirque Sublime, Rodney Carrington and more. His intuitive business acumen and provision of close personal attention ensure the success of each and every tour. Brad has personally developed and grown David Feherty’s Live Off Tour brand from the ground up which all transpired from seeing him at a corporate event in London, Ontario in 2014. Since then, David has developed an extremely successful touring comedy show across North America. In addition to this, Brad has worked closely with NBC and The Golf Channel to produce Feherty Live from the SuperBowl (Minnesota) and has also successfully created a partnership for David to become the Golf Ambassador of the Turks and Caicos.
Under the management and consulting division of the company, Brad offers a one-stop service to festival entertainment buyers; from the preliminary steps of securing talent, to supplying a full-suite of production services on the festival date. With this talent, JEG has been able to assist in them management of Jeff Dunham in multiple Canadian locations as well as gain the rights to all touring for the Thunder From Down Under in Canada.
Making up the second half of the JEG partnership, Vice President Greg Jones has been managing Canada’s most loved children’s author Robert Munsch since 2004, touring over twenty five cities across Canada per year. Greg has assisted in the Canadian touring aspect for Thunder From Down Under, as well as running day to day operations for Centennial Hall in the City of London, Ontario.
Locally, this duo has become synonymous as the masterminds behind London’s biggest annual music festival and local charity fundraiser, Rock the Park. Handling every detail from booking talent, expediting contracts and managing marketing and box office endeavors, the Jones’ have filled Harris Park with 40,000 fans each year for the past fourteen years, bringing the total funds raised for local charities to close to $3 million as of 2017.
As acting controllers of London, Ontario’s landmark venue Centennial Hall, Brad and Greg run a zero dollar deficit at no cost to taxpayers - a boastful feat in comparison to other venues across North America which operate on large government subsidies.
A member of the American Federation of Musicians of The United States and Canada, Jones Entertainment Group is able to secure numerous artists directly through this association and from artist management firms. Representing a select roster of world-class artists affords the close personal attention between artist and management that has been the landmark of this company’s success.
In 2018, the JEG plans to expand their business with a new project: A Night of Fright. For a limited time in each city, guests will be able to experience 3 different haunted attractions designed to warp their minds and twist their concepts of reality. Between the screams, guests will be able to conquer “spirits” of a different kind at a fully licensed and services Ghost Bar located in a central gathering area known as The Void. Also in The Void there will be opportunities to play sinister games of skill, purchase savage souvenirs and interact with renegade creatures of the night .Guests who want a more personal adventure can upgrade their ticket to include, ….before night falls…, an intimately interactive escape room. All of this dark entertainment happens in one indoor climate controlled location. Experience it now before the tour moves on to their next destination in Canada.