She worked with Buddy Johnson, Oliver Nelson, Earl Hines, Barney Bigard, Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Milt Jackson, Cedar Walton, and Houston Person.

[5] During the 1950s, Jones sought to obtain a recording contract, while working as a seamstress, elevator operator, and album stuffer.

Her favorite songwriter to cover was Sammy Cahn, and she also favored Harold Arlen, George and Ira Gershwin, and Cole Porter.

[3] Following these recordings, on which Jones was featured with high-profile arrangers such as Oliver Nelson and jazz stars such as Frank Wess, Roy Haynes, and Gene Ammons, she had a musical partnership of more than 30 years with tenor saxophonist Houston Person, who received equal billing with her.

Although Etta Jones is likely to be remembered above all for her recordings on Prestige, she had a very productive musical career in the last two decades of her life.

She had a close professional relationship with Person (frequently, but mistakenly, identified as Jones's husband), and they performed together for decades.

[3] Only one of her recordings—her debut album for Prestige Records (Don't Go to Strangers, 1960)—enjoyed commercial success with sales of more than 1 million copies.