Robert “Bob” Jones was, for many decades, the producer of the Newport Folk Festival. Yes, including that night Dylan went electric. But even though I heard mention of his time road managing Duke, Sarah and Monk, he never boasted about his credentials. He was a quiet powerhouse.
When I started working for George Wein’s Festival Productions Inc. (FPI), my first desk was in the office of Bob Jones. He shared that office not only with me, but also his assistant, and daughter, Nalini. Though Nalini and I were born the same day, she had a wisdom about her you only get because your dad raised you in the family business.
Bob brought all three of his kids and his lovely wife Marguerite into the festival life. When I arrived, the younger two, Radika and Christopher, were doing seasonal jobs, as was Bob’s beloved wife. I often looked on in awe of how they could work together and carry all the things families carry, but Bob made even people who were not his relatives feel like family.
After leaving and coming back to FPI for the third time, my last office at 311 West 74 St was shared again with Bob and his self-described “faithful assistant,” Tracy Reid. The love between Tracy and Bob was so much like a daughter and father, it was lovely to behold.
The two of them would tell me, “It’s just music festivals,” when I might get spun up about something. That was Bob’s gift, to be quietly strong, get the job done, be both a realist and an optimist, and bring joy to millions through music.
My heart goes out to his family, his festival family and the entire live music community. May his example be repeated and his memory be a blessing.