Born in Boley, Oklahoma, United States,[1] Jones began playing trombone at the age of 13, and studied at Wilberforce College before dropping out in 1922 to join the Synco Jazz Band.

[1] This group eventually evolved into McKinney's Cotton Pickers, where he would play intermittently until 1929.

[1] From there, Jones played in a variety of noted swing jazz ensembles, including those of Fletcher Henderson (1929–31, 1933–34, 1941–42, 1950), Don Redman (1931–33, 1943), Alex Hill, Chick Webb, and Cab Calloway (1934–40, 1943).

[1] In the 1940s, he also played with Coleman Hawkins, Zutty Singleton, Joe Sullivan, Benny Carter, and Duke Ellington (1944–48, 1951).

[1] After completing his second stint with Ellington, Jones became a mess steward on the ship SS United States, and he died at sea in 1962.