Rickie Lee Jones

With her jazz-inflected vocal style, evocative lyrics and signature beret, Rickie Lee Jones was one of the most distinctive singer/songwriters to emerge from the creative hotbed of ’70s Los Angeles. Born in Chicago in 1954, Jones left a troubled family life and headed to the West Coast as a teen, beginning her music career singing in coffeehouses before becoming a fixture at the legendary Troubadour alongside her then-boyfriend Tom Waits. Released in 1979, Jones’ self-titled debut became a surprise hit thanks to “Chuck E.’s In Love”, an irresistible song about Troubadour regular Chuck E. Weiss. Rather than cause her to curb her eccentricities, Jones’ early pop success spurred her to become even more adventurous on albums like 1981’s Pirates, which incorporated such influences as Broadway songwriting and ‘50s R&B, and 1989’s Flying Cowboys, a sumptuous collaboration with Steely Dan’s Walter Becker. Devoted to the work of other songwriters, 2019’s Kicks proves that Jones remains a true original with her free-flowing takes on songs by Bad Company and Elton John.