For the last two years, Will Jones has given his fans plenty of new music to chew on, and it has been by design.
After the release of his debut single, “Sedona,” in late 2022, it was nine months before his next release. Since then, though, Jones has kept a steady stream of releases flowing, offering a new single every few months for nearly two years. But Jones isn’t resting on that relentless pace, though, he’s turning it up a notch, promising a new release almost every month for the foreseeable future.
Jones’ latest offering, “Lonesome Dove,” draws inspiration from a late-80s western miniseries of the same name; setting the scene in a smoke-filled bar from the first lines of the song over a healthy dose of steel guitar; begging for a two-step or two on a dance floor.
We chatted with Jones all about “Lonesome Dove,” new music on the way, his favorite country ballads and more!
Pro Country: You were born into a musical family, and by six years-old, you were singing lead and playing guitar on stage. How early did you know that music was something you wanted to pursue, and how pivotal was that stage experience so early in your life?
Will Jones: When I was about six years-old, my dad bought me a cassette player. I didn’t have a tape to play in it, so I stole one of his. It was a J.D. Crowe tape. Because I was a nerdy six year-old, I learned a song from it called “Cryin’ Holy.” My dad threw a guitar in my hands at six years-old, because I wanted to learn, and he was a great teacher. It was weird, it felt like what I was meant to do. I couldn’t get enough of it. By the time I was seven and eight years-old, I was already travelling, performing with him and taking lead solos.
PC: At 17, you began forging your own musical path outside of the family band. Though you were already singing lead, what was that transition like for someone who was still so young?
WJ: I didn’t feel young! Culturally, growing up in bluegrass music back in Virginia, everybody that played bluegrass music was older. I was learning from older musicians who were brutally honest. Bluegrass is so challenging mechanically, but it makes for great musicians. Being surrounded by them, by the time I was 17, I felt like I’d already had a career in bluegrass music. My sisters picked it up a few years after me, and we had a family band. We played some festivals and recorded a few projects. That’s what we did on the weekends. By 17, I’d lived the bluegrass life. We took a trip to Nashville when I was 16, and like the story goes for so many, I was on Broadway and I heard music from a bar. The guitar nerd in me wanted to figure out how to do that. I bought a Mexican-made Tele and started diving into Danny Gatton, Albert Lee and Vince Gill.
When I was graduating high school and making the transition away from bluegrass, I was jumping into the next musical chapter of my life, which was country music.
PC: You released your debut single, “Sedona,” in late 2022, which has since earned over 100,000 streams on Spotify alone and thousands of streams across platforms. As an artist releasing music for the first time, how encouraging was it to see the support the song had and to tangibly see its success?
WJ: It was the best! You don’t know what you’re doing; you move to Nashville to become a better songwriter, you play everywhere you can play and start working yourself into the fabric of the songwriting community in Town. I’d signed my first publishing deal with Universal Publishing, and the very first song I turned in was “Sedona.” I was playing shows, and I knew I needed music out into the world. I loved “Sedona,” and it got so much love from fans and fellow musicians. It encouraged me and reinforced that I was going after the right thing.
PC: After a nine month layoff from releasing music after “Sedona,” since late 2023, you’ve released a new single every few months. How important has it been for you to keep a steady stream of releases coming and offering new things for people to hear?
WJ: It’s everything, especially nowadays. When you’re figuring out how to do this whole thing and going into a studio to record music, there’s a whole lot that goes into it. Figuring out how to do it consistently and quickly becomes the logistical challenge. We released “Sedona,” and I thought “that was fun!” until you realize that you have to release more music after that. We’ve tried to put as much music out as we can. Now, I’m in a really cool position where we’ve got a sack full of music, and I’m writing toward my first record. We’ll have a song every four or five weeks for the foreseeable future. It’s really exciting!
PC: Your new single, “Lonesome Dove,” follows “My Country’s Showing,” which is a fantastic, 90s-sounding boot stomper. Why did you feel that “Lonesome Dove” was the right follow up?
WJ: When we cut “My Country’s Showing,” I was going out on tour with Gavin Adcock. I wanted to give that crowd something to drink beer to. I love rowdy country music. We thought that song was very appropriate for the clubs we were playing. We wanted to give people something they could have fun to. And that crowd always lets their country show [laughs].
After that, it felt appropriate to follow it with a big love song that tells a story that’s super relatable to everyone.
PC: You wrote “Lonesome Dove” with Davis Corley, Lee Starr, and Dan Wilson. Can you take us in the room and talk about how the song came together?
WJ: Davis and Lee have been an instrumental part of my story in Nashville. “Sedona” was the first song we wrote together. After that, there’s been several more that have been written with them. Dan was in the mix on the day we wrote “Lonesome Dove.” In the room, Lee brought up the idea of Lonesome Dove, and that’s my all-time favorite western series. We started talking about what Gus would say to Lori Darlin’ in a bar to make her feel better. We wanted a song that said if you’re lonely in a bar, it ain’t always looking for love. Even if it’s just for one song, you’re allowed to have fun and dance.
Playing it live, it’s amazing to see, already, how many different ways that song connects to people. It’s awesome!
PC: To coincide with “Lonesome Dove,” you posted about your love of country ballads on social media. Can you tell us a few of your favorite country ballads?
WJ: Oh, gosh, that’s so hard! I think of “Today I started Loving You Again,” “Kentucky Bluebird” and “When I Call Your Name.” I think nowadays, as a songwriter, we look up to people like Dean Dillon and the magnificent songwriters that could write ballads that felt real. That’s what we were going for when we wrote “Lonesome Dove,” and I feel like we got there. It’s one of my favorite songs that I’ve been a part of.
PC: Your bio mentions a deep affinity for songwriting and its community, and references opportunities you’ve had to write songs with heroes. Can you tell us a pinch-me moment you’ve had in a songwriting room?
WJ: Before I officially moved to Nashville, I was back and forth. Roger Springer reached out to me and said to come to his house, because he and Monty Holmes wanted to write a song together. I went over, and I was sitting in a room with Monty, who wrote “Troubadour” for George Strait, “Never Again, Again” and “When Did You Stop Loving Me.” And of course Roger’s rap sheet is infinitely long. That was the first moment where I was in the room with people who’d written some of my favorite songs ever. That turned into a really close friendship with Monty, who took me under his wing and wrote so many songs with me.
Since then, it’s been getting to be in the room with guys that I now call friends like Tony Martin, Brice Long, Tony Lane, Mark Nesler; the list is very long. It makes you feel like you’re a piece of the songwriting community, and I never take that for granted.
PC: You mentioned that you have a lot of new music coming down the pipeline. What information, if any, can you give about what will follow “Lonesome Dove”? What can people expect to hear?
WJ: We’ve got an up-tempo, rockin’ country song that’s so fun coming in August. I can’t wait for everybody to hear it! We’ve already got songs waiting for folks for the rest of the year and into next year that are going towards a full album. Get ready, because we’re about to hammer down and give everybody more than they can handle!
PC: You have been on the road with Josh Turner, and have a handful of shows left on the tour. How much have you enjoyed sharing the stage with such an established, well-respected artist this year?
WJ: It’s a really cool, full-circle moment. The first time I came to Nashville, we went to a show at the Ryman, and Josh Turner was playing. Earlier this year, I made my debut on the Ryman stage with Josh. Hats off to Josh and his whole team, because they’ve been so good to me. He’s salt of the earth, and his fanbase is incredible. It’s been a dream come true.
We’ve been so welcomed in Nashville. Last year, we went on tour with Jon Pardi. We were also on Ashley McBryde’s tour, and she’s one of my favorite humans. We did shows with Parker McCollum too!
PC: What do you have planned for the rest of 2025?
WJ: We’re going to be staying steady! I’ve been home only a handful of weekends from New Year’s until about a month ago. We have shows with Josh coming up, and according to my agent, we have some really fun stuff planned for the fall that will be on my website. My main focus right now is to make sure we keep these songs coming out. We’ve got the blueprint, so it’s going to happen!
PC: Is there anything you’d like to add?
WJ: Give our music a listen and let us play for you live! Our live show is old school. We run wedge monitors, turn tube amps on and let it rip. It’s exactly what you’ll hear when you listen to the recordings and then some.
*All images by Zack Knudsen, except where noted
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