Downtown Music Publishing has announced a partnership with Booker T. Jones in a multi-faceted deal that covers the renowned multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and arranger's vast music publishing interests.
Under the terms of the agreement, Downtown has acquired Jones's interest in all of his biggest hits, including the iconic "Green Onions," which was written and recorded by Booker T. & The M.G.'s. The single is listed as one of Rolling Stone magazine's Greatest Songs of All Time, earned a Grammy Hall of Fame award in 1999, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2012, the song was added into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, a list of "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" American sound recordings. It is considered by many to be the most well known instrumental song written in the modern era. Downtown will also be the long-term home for Jones's newly written song copyrights.
Earlier this year, Jones announced that he will be releasing his memoir, due in the fall of 2019 on Little, Brown and Co.
"I'm still in the same place as I was as a teenager who was so excited about making music," said Jones. "I couldn't be happier to find an incredible creative team to promote my catalog and collaborate with on my new material, who shares the same excitement in connecting music to people."
"It is a great privilege to announce this partnership with Booker T. Jones." said Downtown CEO Justin Kalifowitz. "It is a rare opportunity to work with someone whose storied career built the foundation of popular music and continues to inspire us with his songwriting and artistry today."
Jones's first foray into the music industry came at the age of 16, when he played baritone saxophone on "Cause I Love You" by Carla and Rufus Thomas. Soon after, he would become the leader of the legendary Stax Records house band, serving as session musician and/or songwriter for artists such as Isaac Hayes and Otis Redding, and as frontman of his own band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Since then, Jones has recorded with some of the most well-known artists of the 20th and 21st century, including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Bill Withers, Anthony Hamilton, and The Roots. Jones was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007, and was honored with a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2007.
