Cinderella Story -- My Friends Helen & Terry

Everyone loves a Cinderella story and this year’s Grammy Awards has three princesses who are coming to the ball for the first time, or should we say two sassy divas and an Empress? In the category for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, it is the nomination for my friends Terry Jones and Helen Bruner, and Jones’ mom legendary soul singer Linda Jones, who died 37 years ago, that really deserves the crown. In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, when asked who her favorite singer was Ms. Gladys Knight responded “Linda Jones.” In the late ‘60s a little singer with a giant voice started paving the way for subsequent soul, R&B, gospel and even Rap performers by embodying and molding the relatively new art form of soul singing. Combining gospel with R&B hooks, Jones, who was dubbed the Empress of Soul, scored huge with her 1967 now classic recording of “Hypnotized.” As her star continued to rise with more hit songs, some of which she wrote or co-wrote, and sold-out performances at the legendary Apollo Theater, Linda Jones’ life-long battle with chronic diabetes came to an end in 1972. She was only 27 years old and had two young daughters, Robin and Terry. In 2008, Terry and her childhood friend and current singing/business partner Helen Bruner decided to reclaim the Empress of Soul’s legacy, so they wrote, produced, recorded, performed on and distributed on their own independent label Linda Jones’s first CD in decades, “Soul Talkin’” which featured vocals by Ms. Linda Jones. And on Dec. 3 when Grammy nominations were announced, Linda Jones, Terry Jones and Helen Bruner all became first-time Grammy nominees for their performances on the track “Baby I Know.” “This is my Mother's first Grammy nomination and I am so very proud because it's taken me a long time to understand the impact she made. I am so glad I now understand how she influenced the art form, as well as my own career. So for both of us to be nominated for our very first Grammy Award together — especially since it’s been almost 40 years since Mom passed away --is simply wonderfully poetic and incredibly emotional. Mom, this is for you!” Terry Jones also said that she and Bruner will be representing with much pride their hometown of Philadelphia at this year’s Grammy Awards, and that she knows the Empress will be with them, if not in body, then of course in soul. Regardless how this Cinderella story ends, all three of these nominated artists are sure to be the belles at this year’s Grammy ball.