Uriel Jones: Dies in Michigan

Uriel Jones: Dies in Michigan

Motown drummer Uriel Jones, whose hard-driving funk propelled classic tunes by the Temptations and Marvin Gaye, passed away in a hospital at Michigan hospital on Tuesday after suffering complications from a heart attack. He was 74. A family has confirmed this news of his death.

Jones, the last surviving drummer in the Motown session band known as the Funk Brothers, had the attack in the middle of February. According to his sister-in-law Leslie Coleman he had been showing signs of improvement. He relapsed last Tuesday, and died at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center in Dearborn.

He was a key component of the "psychedelic soul" foray by the Temptations, including "I Can't Get Next to You," and "Cloud Nine" and brought a party feel to their earlier hit "Ain't Too Proud To Beg."

However Jones also applied a sensitive touch to such ballads namely "The Tracks of My Tears," by The Miracles, and "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted," by Jimmy Ruffin.

In the year 1964 Jones came to Motown after taking a tour with Gaye, and made a record for Motown's enfant terrible on "Ain't That Peculiar," "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

Motown arranger Paul Riser said, "Uriel's drum sound was the most open and laid-back, and he was the funkiest of the three guys we had," "He had a mixed feel and did a lot of different things well."


Jones is survived by his wife, June, and three children. However the funeral services are pending.