He has collaborated with musicians in a variety of genres,[2] including the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures with Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, and Alain Johannes.

[1] He started playing piano when he was six, learning from his father, Joe Baldwin, a pianist and arranger for big bands in the 1940s and 1950s, notably with Ambrose and his Orchestra.

[3] His influences ranged from the blues of Big Bill Broonzy and the jazz of Charles Mingus to the classical piano of Sergei Rachmaninoff.

[7] His big break came in 1962, when he was hired by Jet Harris and Tony Meehan of the successful British group the Shadows for a two-year stint.

Shortly before hiring Baldwin, Harris and Meehan had just had a number 1 hit with "Diamonds" (a track on which Jones' bandmate-to-be Jimmy Page had played).

He worked with numerous artists including the Rolling Stones on Their Satanic Majesties Request (Jones' string arrangement is heard on "She's a Rainbow");[9] Herman's Hermits; Donovan (on "Sunshine Superman", "Hurdy Gurdy Man", and "Mellow Yellow"); Jeff Beck; Françoise Hardy; Cat Stevens (on "Matthew and Son"); Rod Stewart; Shirley Bassey; Lulu; and numerous others.

This name was suggested to him by a friend, Andrew Loog Oldham, who had seen a poster for the 1959 film John Paul Jones in France.

The following winter, during the sessions for Donovan's The Hurdy Gurdy Man, Jones expressed to Page a desire to be part of any projects the guitarist might be planning.

Page later explained: I was working at the sessions for Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man, and John Paul Jones was looking after the musical arrangements.

As half of Led Zeppelin's rhythm section with drummer John Bonham, Jones shared an appreciation for funk and soul rhythmic grooves which strengthened and enhanced their musical affinity.

[22] Jones' keyboard skills added an eclectic dimension that realised Led Zeppelin as more than just a hard rock band.

In live performances, Jones' keyboard showpiece was "No Quarter", often lasting for up to half-an-hour and sometimes including snatches of "Amazing Grace", Joaquín Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez", which had inspired Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain, and variations of classical pieces by composers such as Rachmaninoff.

On the band's 1977 tour of the United States, Jones would sing lead vocals on "The Battle of Evermore", filling in for Sandy Denny, who had sung on the studio version.

"[14] Benoit Gautier, an employee of Atlantic Records in France, echoed this impression, stating that "The wisest guy in Led Zeppelin was John Paul Jones.

He considered quitting Led Zeppelin to spend more time with his family, but was talked into returning by the band's manager, Peter Grant.

[5]It is rumoured that the Led Zeppelin song "Royal Orleans", from their album Presence, is about an experience Jones once had on tour in the United States.

Other contributions include playing bass on Wings' Rockestra, Back to the Egg along with Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham.

"[30] Jones subsequently collaborated with artists including Diamanda Galás, R.E.M., Jars of Clay, Heart, Ben E. King, Peter Gabriel, Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Cinderella, The Mission, La Fura dels Baus, the Harp Consort, Brian Eno, the Butthole Surfers, and Uncle Earl.

In 1985, Jones was asked by director Michael Winner to provide the soundtrack for the film Scream for Help, with Jimmy Page appearing on two tracks.

The band's frontman Dave Grohl (a big Led Zeppelin fan) has described Jones' guest appearance as the "second greatest thing to happen to me in my life".

In May 2007, he accompanied Robyn Hitchcock and Ruby Wright in performing the song "Gigolo Aunt" at a tribute for Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett in London, which he did on mandolin.

Mandolin-slinging Jones jammed on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" with Winnipeg's energetic Duhks at April 2007's MerleFest in North Carolina.

[40][41][42] As previously mentioned, Jones toured with Watkins, Glen Phillips, and the rest of Nickel Creek in late 2004 in a collaboration entitled Mutual Admiration Society.

[43] In 2009–2010 he was part of a supergroup with Dave Grohl and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme named Them Crooked Vultures.

On 16 September 2012, Jones appeared at the Sunflower Jam charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London, performing alongside guitarist Brian May of Queen, drummer Ian Paice of Deep Purple, and vocalists Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden and Alice Cooper.

Introduced by Seasick Steve as a member "of the best rock band ever", Jones played bass, mandolin, and steel guitar, and provided vocals.

On Saturday 29 June 2013, Jones played guitar whilst appearing with Rokia Traoré, who opened the Pyramid Stage that morning at Glastonbury 2013.

Stepping outside his normal genre, he composed three lute songs for the 2015 album Amores Pasados[47] by John Potter, Anna Maria Friman, Ariel Abramovich and Jacob Herringman.

[49] Jones is widely considered to be one of the most highly influential and important bassists, keyboard players and arrangers in the history of rock music.

[2][50][51][52] Many notable rock bassists have been influenced by Jones, including John Deacon of Queen,[53] Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith,[54] Geddy Lee of Rush,[55] Steve Harris of Iron Maiden,[56] Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers,[57] Gene Simmons of Kiss,[58] and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana.