Joseph Charles Jones (August 12, 1926 – November 27, 2005)[1] was an American R&B singer, songwriter and arranger, who was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
[4] He was expelled from the New Orleans local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians for attempting to set up a rival organization but was later reinstated.
Although his assertions were originally successful, a federal jury and then Court of Appeals ruled that Jones did not write "Iko Iko," that his claims were fraudulent, and that the true writers were the band he managed, the Dixie Cups (the true original recording of this song had been released as Checker 787 by New Orleans singer and pianist Sugar Boy Crawford and his Cane Cutters in late 1953).
The band hired music attorney Oren Warshavsky, who had previously won a case demonstrating that Jones falsely professed ownership of another Mardi Gras classic song, "It Ain't My Fault."
Jones also failed in his bid to declare title (though not as an author) to yet another Mardi Gras classic song, "Carnival Time."
[6] In 1973, Jones set up a company in Los Angeles, California, making advertising jingles.