Richard Jones

Richard Jones
(b late 17th century; d London, 20 Jan 1744). English composer and violinist. Hawkins refers to him as Dicky Jones, and tells us that in about 1730 he succeeded Stefano Carbonelli as leader of the orchestra at Drury Lane, though he may have been playing in the orchestra before that date.

Among his violin pupils was Michael Christian Festing. He played in a concert at York Buildings on 13 March 1728, and on 30 November 1731 he shared a benefit with the actor-singer James Excell (fl 1730–41) at the Sun Tavern. His association with Drury Lane may have begun as early as 1723, when a masque, Apollo and Daphne, by ‘Jones’ was performed there; it was adapted in 1725 as a pantomime with songs by Henry Carey.