Aled Jones (Boy Soprano, Baritone)

Born: December 29, 1970 - Bangor, Caernarfonshire, Wales, UK

Early Singing Career

The Welsh baritone, former boy soprano, television and radio presenter, Aled Jones, was born in St. David's Hospital in Bangor, Caernarfonshire in Wales, the only child of Nest Rowlands, a teacher, and Derek John Jones, a draughtsman for a shipbuilder. He was raised in the small Welsh-speaking community of Llandegfan in Anglesey, and attended Ysgol David Hughes (a secondary school). He was first discovered singing as a choirboy in Beaumaris. In 1980 (at age 9), he joined the choir of Bangor Cathedral under Andrew Goodwin, and was lead soloist within two years, although he was never Head Chorister. He began his career at a very young age at local eisteddfods and concerts. The remarkable quality of his treble voice was appreciated by a member of the congregation, Hefina Orwig Evans, who wrote a letter to local record company Sain, and he was duly signed. In 1982, he won the solo and the Cerdd Dant solo competitions for competitors under 12 at the Urdd Eisteddfod.

Aled Jones became famous for the cover version of "Walking in the Air", the song from Channel 4's animated film The Snowman, based on the book by Raymond Briggs. The record reached No. 5 in the UK charts in 1985. The version used in the 1982 film was performed by Peter Auty, a St. Paul's Cathedral choirboy.

In June 1985, Aled Jones was the subject of an Emmy award-winning BBC Omnibus documentary entitled The Treble. Jones, with the National Philharmonic Orchestra, was behind the Santa Claus The Movie, original motion picture soundtrack, Every Christmas Eve of 1985. Also in 1985, he was called by Mike Oldfield to sing in Oldfield's single "Pictures in the Dark", a three-voice song along with Anita Hegerland and Barry Palmer, which became quite popular. In 1985, he performed in front of the Queen, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Dame Joan Sutherland and Leonard Bernstein. Several of his 16 recordings went Gold and Platinum.

Aled Jones' recording career was temporarily halted when his voice broke at 16. By then he had recorded 16 albums, sold more than six million copies, and sung for Pope John Paul II, the Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales in a private recital, as well as presenting numerous children's television programmes. He sang at the wedding of celebrities Bob Geldof and Paula Yates in 1986. Jones also had the distinction of being the first artist to have two classical albums listed simultaneously in the popular music charts, and worked with Leonard Bernstein (Chichester Psalms). In 1986, he sang the oratorio Athalia with Emma Kirkby. His first biography, Walking on Air, was published in 1986.

Later Career

In September 1990, Aled Jones made his acting debut at the Royal Theatre (Northampton) in Shaun McKenna's adaptation of Richard Llewellyn's How Green Was My Valley playing the teenage Huw Morgan.

Aled Jones went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, before beginning his adult recording career, unveiling his matured baritone voice with a largely religious/inspirational repertoire. In 1995 he took the leading role in the long-running production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat on a Blackpool pier. From September 1996 to May 1997, he played the young Tom Gradgrind (non singing) in a large scale national touring production of Charles Dickins' Hard Times. Theatres included Brighton Theatre Royal, Bath Theatre Royal and Richmond Theatre.

In 2005, Jones launched his autobiography, Aled: The Autobiography, written in collaboration with Darren Henley. In 2013, Jones released his extended autobiography, Aled Jones: My Story.

Following the launch of his first baritone album, "Aled" on the Universal Music label in Australia in May 2003, Aled Jones visited the country on a promotional tour. He has since successfully toured in concert there five times: in December 2003, August 2006, October 2008, August/September 2010 and February 2015, performing in eight cities. He has released two singles with Terry Wogan in aid of the Children in Need appeal.

From July 3 to August 30, 2008, Aled Jones played the lead role of Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. He returned to the stage, playing Bob Wallace in White Christmas at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, and at The Lowry, Salford Quays, from November 2009 until January 9, 2010, and again from November 11 to 26, 2011 at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, from December 1- to 17 at the Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin, and at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool (December 22, 2011-January 7, 2012) On November 8, he Jones made his West End debut, again playing Bob Wallace in White Christmas, this time at the Dominion Theatre, Tottenham Court Road.

Following the publication of Aled Jone' "Forty Favourite Hymns" in 2009, a further book, Favourite Christmas Carols, was published on October 28, 2010; he took the book on his UK tour in November and December 2010. On November 20, his CD, "Aled's Christmas Gift", was issued to accompany the book. On October 11, 2010, he was confirmed to take over as stand-in presenter of the early morning breakfast slot on BBC Radio 2 following the departure of Sarah Kennedy, a role he occasionally covered in the years leading up to her departure. He covered this slot for six weeks until the beginning of his UK tour.

Aled Jones is mentoring Isabel Suckling, the youngest classical recording artist signed by Decca Records and first choirgirl to sign a record contract with a major music label to date. Suckling's debut album was greatly endorsed by Jones, who described it as "breathtaking" and it was released on November 29, 2010. In 2011, Jones hosted the television and DVD series, Classical Destinations III, Aled Jones' Ultimate Travel Guide to Classical Music which was filmed on his travels in the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and Australia. He has made several successful recordings as a baritone, some featuring the voices of Libera. He is currently co-manager of The Choirboys.

Source: BSCD Website; Wikipedia Website (June 2017)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2017)

Aled Jones: Short Biography | Recordings of Vocal Works under his name

Links to other Sites

Aled Jones (BSCD)
Aled Jones (Wikipedia)