GuitarPioneers

Much attention is given to the steel players as the lead instrument in this tradition, but the rhythm guitar plays a very important part in this chemistry as well. Their masterful picking ability and colorful chord progressions add a unique touch to the overall balance of this "Sacred String" music.

Bishop Harvey Jones was born in Oxford Mississippi in 1922 to Dan Jones and Maude (Boles) Jones. His mother Maude taught him to play guitar at the age of nine years old. He soon excelled past her on the guitar and began to teach her all that he had learned.

Harvey and Steel Player Fred Neal began traveling with Chief Jewell in the 1940’s when the church headquarters was located in Cleveland, Ohio. Harvey was one of Chief Jewell’s earliest guitarists, playing in many church assemblies and tent revivals with Lorenzo Harrison. He also played guitar behind the legendary Jewell Gospel Trio in the 1950’s.

After teaming up with Lorenzo Harrison and Coroneva Burns, the churches music began to take form. This trio of anointed musicians prepared a great musical pathway for us to follow. As a lead guitar player, Harvey became a role model and set the standard for many aspiring players to follow in the years to come. He traveled with Chief Jewell for about fifteen years before moving to Kansas City Missouri with his family. Bishop Harvey Jones is yet alive and doing well at the tender age of 84. His trademark style of playing guitar is still being mimicked within the church walls even today.

Andrew “Sonny” Gaines, born December 3, 1941 to Wilson C. Gaines and Mattie J. (Duren) Gaines. As a young man in St. Clair Shore Michigan, Andrew began his music career by attending Sloans Music School located in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

His greatest influences were Chet Adkins and Harvey Jones. Andrew began playing in the Jewell Dominion church located in Mt. Clemens, Michigan in 1954 and later moved to Nashville to attend Jewell Academy and Seminary. Andrew now lives in Cleveland, Ohio and his favorite guitar of choice is a Canadian designed guitar called the Godan.

Felton W. Williams Jr. of Detroit, Michigan was born January 3, 1934 to Felton Washington Williams Sr and Katie Ware. Felton is an accomplished multi-talented musician who is well respected throughout the Jewell Dominion Church world. He began playing lead and steel guitar in 1944 after being fascinated by hearing Harvey Jones (guitar) and Fred Neal (steel guitar). Harvey and Fred were some of the earliest musicians to travel with the Chief Overseer as she set up churches across the country. Felton was a musician at the Garfield Church of the Living God, where Elder Clifton was the pastor.

Felton became a mentor to many young aspiring musicians in the church and used the basement of his home to sharpen their skills. Teacher Williams, as he is called by many, is responsible for planting a musical seed into many of the great Jewell Dominion musicians of today. Felton influenced other great musicians such as Sonny Treadway, Ronnie Hall, Wayne White, Ned Mays, and Calvin Cooke just to name a few.

Robert Landon Golden, was born into a family with deep musical roots and was very skilled on the guitar. Bobby and brother Tubby played together in the Jewell Dominion church for many years. Born in Warren, Ohio to James Landon Golden, and Dallas Patterson Golden. Bobby was an outstanding guitar player committed to using his music praise the Lord.

Clifford Lyonell Warren Jr., born in Widner, Arkansas February 11, 1935 to Clifford Warren Sr. and Doretha (Corbitt) Warren. The Warren family moved to Toledo, Ohio around 1938, when Clifford was three years old. Clifford began to play guitar at the age of eleven years old. Like many musicians in the church Clifford learned the tradition from the older generation of musicians and developed his own signature style from that. His favorite guitar is the Gibson 335.

Clifford’s influences were Brother Henry Wortham, Rev. Jack Coleman, and Fred Neal. Clifford traveled and played with Lorenzo Harrison from 1968 to about 1978. At the tender age of 71, Clifford is currently playing guitar consistently at the Jewell Dominion church in Toledo, Ohio.