[1] John Jones Jr. was born in Dallas, Texas, United States, the son of a Dallas-based R&B guitarist, Johnny B.
[3] Through his father's work, he was introduced to house guests such as Freddie King, L. C. Clark, Ernie Johnson and Little Joe Blue.
Jones began playing the guitar by the age of five, by which time he had acquired his nickname Tutu from his father.
[4] He began his career in adolescence, as a drummer, graduating from backing his uncles Barefoot Miller and L. C. Clark (the latter in 1976)[2] to working with Z.
A journalist at the Austin Chronicle then stated, "bluesmen are traditionalists, but Jones learns how to mesh soulful wails with syrupy blues that are as sweaty live as they are in quiet studios.