The Trailblazing Man Underneath the Hat

Dr. Kelvin Jones is an international educator, entrepreneur, musician, conductor, drill designer, and music arranger, working with K-12 schools and university music programs around the globe. His arrangements have been performed across the United States, including by the prestigious Dallas Winds. Formerly in his position at Louisiana State University, he served as the director of the award winning and Grammy-nominated, Golden Band from Tigerland.

Under his leadership, the bands he directed performed at high-profile events, including the Zulu Mardi Gras parade, New Orleans Saints games, national events in Washington, DC, Walt Disney World, and the SEC Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. His direction also led LSU’s Tiger Marching Band to be recognized at College Band Directors National Association regional and national conferences, including the Athletic Band Symposium. The LSU Tiger Marching Band was nominated for a 2023 Grammy Award for their collaboration with Zydeco artist Sean Ardoin in the Best Regional Roots category.

As a conductor, Jones has conducted ensembles both internationally and nationally, including the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts in Memphis, Tennessee, and Carnegie Hall in New York City. He has worked on new music commissions and has received praise on his interpretations from composers such as Steven Bryant, Alex Shapiro, Omar Thomas, John Mackey, Anthony Barfield, Ayatey Shabazz, and Joshua Hobbs.

A highly sought-after guest conductor, Jones has traveled internationally, working with music programs in South America (Chile) and with the LSU marching band in Dublin, Ireland. He serves as a Conn Selmer Educational Clinician and is an instructor at the Smith-Walbridge Drum Major Clinic in Charleston, Illinois, where he works with high school and college drum majors from across the country.

Jones is also an active consultant for school districts and music programs and has presented at national, state, and international music conferences. His written works have been published in The Instrumentalist, Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series (GIA Publications), and Oxford University Press.

Honored as the Louisiana Music Educators Association’s Young Music Educator of the Year, the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra’s Teacher of Distinction, and recipient of the LSU A.P. Tureaud award and Faculty mentorship awards, Jones has also received numerous accolades for his contributions to the local community, with recognition from the Louisiana governor and Baton Rouge mayor.

Dr. Jones is a former K-12 educator, having served as the band director at West Feliciana High School in St. Francisville, Louisiana. During his tenure, he developed a comprehensive music program that garnered state and national awards, including a performance at the 2013 United States National Presidential Inauguration Music Festival in Washington, DC.

He holds degrees in Music from Jackson State University and Louisiana State University. He is a member of several esteemed organizations, including the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity Inc., Louisiana Music Educators Association, HBCU Band Directors Consortium, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

In addition to his work in music, Jones is an entrepreneur, running a real estate company, APE Investments (All Positive Energy), and a barbecue catering business, Bones Jones BBQ. In his spare time, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Felicia, a nurse practitioner, and their two sons, Samuel and Kye-Parker.