John Paul Jones born John Baldwin ; 3 January [ 1 ] is an English musician and record producer who was the bassist and keyboardist for the rock band Led Zeppelin. He was a session musician and arranger when he formed the band with Jimmy Page in Jones developed a solo career after drummer John Bonham died and Led Zeppelin disbanded in John Baldwin was born in Sidcup , Kent, on 3 January His mother was also in the music business, which allowed the family to often perform together touring around England as a vaudeville comedy act.
Because his parents often toured, Baldwin was sent to boarding school at a young age. At the age of 14, Baldwin became choirmaster and organist at a local church. That year, he bought his first bass guitar, a Dallas Tuxedo solid-body electric; later, he bought other basses that he part-exchanged until he bought the Fender Jazz Bass that he used until Jones has said he was inspired to take up the bass by the fluid playing of Chicago musician Phil Upchurch on his You Can't Sit Down LP, which includes a memorable bass solo.
Baldwin joined his first band, The Deltas, at the age of Shortly before hiring Baldwin, Harris and Meehan had just had a number 1 hit with " Diamonds " a track on which Jones' bandmate-to-be Jimmy Page had played. Baldwin's collaboration with the Shadows nearly prevented the future formation of Led Zeppelin, when the parties engaged in talks about the possibility of Baldwin replacing their bassist Brian Locking , who left the band in October , but John Rostill was ultimately chosen to fill the position.
In , on the recommendation of Meehan, Baldwin began studio session work with Decca Records. From then until , he played on hundreds of recording sessions. As well as recording sessions with Dusty Springfield , Jones also played bass for her Talk of the Town series of performances. His arranging and playing on Donovan's "Sunshine Superman" resulted in producer Mickie Most using his services as choice arranger for many of his own projects, with Tom Jones , Nico , Wayne Fontana , the Walker Brothers , and many others.
In , Most, as music supervisor , also tasked Jones with arranging the music for Herman's Hermits' theatrical film Mrs.
