John Paul Jones
Biography
John Paul Jones is an English musician known as a multi-instrumentalist and record producer who spent 1968 to 1980 as Led Zeppelin's bassist and keyboardist after forming the band with guitarist Jimmy Page. Born in Sidcup, he started on piano before taking up bass and worked as a session musician and arranger, contributing to recordings by the Rolling Stones, Donovan and Herman's Hermits. After Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980, he built a solo career, releasing the albums Zooma in 1999 and The Thunderthief in 2001, and he later joined Them Crooked Vultures, a supergroup featuring Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and Alain Johannes. He produced records for the Mission, the Datsuns and Uncle Earl, and appeared in the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025). He received a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1995 as part of Led Zeppelin.
80years old
Turns 81 on January 3in 72 days
- Born Sidcup
- Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
- John Richard Baldwin (birth name)Also credited as John Baldwin, JPJ, Jonesy and Jones
Movie Career
- Films
- 4
- Career span
- 49 years1976 to 2025
Every film, newest first
- 2025Becoming Led ZeppelinIMDb rating 7.5
- 2012Led Zeppelin: Celebration DayIMDb rating 8.7
- 2008Foo Fighters: Live At Wembley StadiumIMDb rating 8.6
- 1976The Song Remains the SameIMDb rating 7.6
Genres
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About the name
While working as a session player, Baldwin took the stage name John Paul Jones. His friend Andrew Loog Oldham suggested it after seeing a poster in France for the 1959 film John Paul Jones.
Big break
In 1962, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan of the Shadows gave Jones his big break, hiring him for a two-year stint. Just before that, the pair had scored a number 1 hit with "Diamonds."
A role that slipped away
Jones nearly replaced Brian Locking as the Shadows' bassist in 1963, a move that would have kept him from forming Led Zeppelin, but John Rostill got the job instead.
A change of course
Jones has said that Phil Upchurch, a musician from Chicago, motivated him to start playing bass. He credited Upchurch's fluid playing on the song "You Can't Sit Down," which has a memorable bass solo.
Behind the camera
John Paul Jones arranged and played on Donovan's "Sunshine Superman", which led producer Mickie Most to hire him as his preferred arranger for many of his own projects, including work with Tom Jones and Nico.
John Paul Jones movies on Netflix
Most often with
Jimmy Page appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Jimmy Page's page
Robert Plant's page
Jason Bonham's page
John Bonham's page
Led Zeppelin's page
Peter Grant2 films together, 1976 to 2025
Peter Grant's page
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Kennedy Center Honors | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.