Photo via @billysrecordsalon
Members of the local music community were shocked and saddened by the news of Billy Jones' passing on Saturday. The indie music impresario was known for running Baby's All Right in Williamsburg and, more recently, Night Club 101 on Avenue A.
According to Pitchfork, he died from an aggressive brain cancer. He was 45.
Jones had been a regular in the local music scene, booking shows at several now-closed EV spaces, including Sin-é on St. Mark's Place and Elvis Guesthouse on Avenue A, as well as Pianos on Ludlow Street.
In 2013, he and Zachary Mexico opened Baby's All Right in Brooklyn, which "helped revive the city's indie scene," per Pitchfork.
More recent collaborations included Funny Bar on Essex Street and Night Club 101, which debuted at the end of the year in the former Pyramid space on Avenue A.
He was also known for his work as a DJ with The Lot Radio and running his vinyl emporium, Billy's Record Salon, in Brooklyn. A friend to many, Jones left an imprint on every scene he touched.
As a tribute at Brooklyn Vegan noted yesterday:
It's hard to underestimate the impact Billy had on the NYC music scene of the last 20 years. His taste was impeccable and the clubs he ran became places you hung out even if you weren't there for the band... More than anything, Billy was a friend and also a very rare bird in the music industry: a genuinely nice person who would always greet you with a smile and hug.
The tributes on social media included...
8 comments:
What a shame. Just awful. Tragic.
Damn. 46 is too young to die. F cancer. RIP man.
Why why why. RIP.
Too young and he contributed so much to the music scene. Very sad.
Rest in Peace Billy - your legacy will live on friend - So glad you got to do what you wanted in this life, music all around, friends all around - your passion for music was endless. Thanks for always having a warm caring smile. You will be missed.
This is terrible. RIP.
Amazing that he was able to book the great post-punk art rock band WIRE to play three nights at Baby's All Right several years ago. Brain cancer is absolutely a horrific way to go. RIP.
Godspeed sir.
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