What Was Brian Jones' Net Worth?
Brian Jones was an English singer and musician who had a net worth of $500 thousand at the time of his death in July 1969. That's the same as around $4 million in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation and includes the value of what would eventually became extremely lucrative royalty streams. It should also be noted that according to reports at the time, Jones' estate was actually in debt to the British version of the IRS with debts totaling 200-300 pounds. At the time of his death, Brian had reportedly been earning around 2,500 pounds per week from the band. That's around $20,000 per week in today's dollars. It would take 13 years, through 1982, to pay off his tax debt through royalty income. After that point, income generated by Brian's estate went to his parents who were is primary heirs. Upon their respective deaths, Brian's sister Barbara became the sole beneficiary.
Brian Jones is best known for creating the legendary rock band the Rolling Stones in 1962 and playing lead and rhythm guitar, keyboards, harmonica, sitar, and other instruments for the band. Brian was asked to leave the band in 1969, two years after his first arrest for drug use, and was found dead in his swimming pool a month later at the age of 27. Despite dying at a young age, Jones left behind an impressive discography, including "The Rolling Stones" (1964), "12 X 5" (1964), "The Rolling Stones, Now!" (1965), "Out of Our Heads" (1965), and "Beggars Banquet" (1968). Outside of the Rolling Stones, Brian is credited on "Yellow Submarine" and "You Know My Name" with the Beatles, and "All Along the Watchtower," "My Little One," and "Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That" with Jimi Hendrix. Jones was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as a member of the Rolling Stones.
Early Life
Brian Jones was born Brian Lewis Hopkin Jones on February 28, 1942, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. He was the son of Louisa Beatrice Simmonds and Lewis Blount Jones, and he had two younger sisters, Barbara and Pamela. Sadly, Pamela died of leukemia shortly after her first birthday. When Brian was 4 years old, he came down with croup, and it left him with lifelong asthma. Jones attended Dean Close School before enrolling at Cheltenham Grammar School for Boys, where he was first clarinet in the school's orchestra. Brian's father worked as an aeronautical engineer and piano teacher, and his mother played organ and piano and led the local church choir. Jones enjoyed listening to blues and jazz during his youth, and his parents gave him a saxophone for his 17th birthday. Brian subsequently began playing at local jazz and blues clubs as well as busking.
The Rolling Stones
After Jones moved to London, he befriended musicians who were part of the jazz and rhythm and blues scene, and he began playing blues under the name "Elmo Lewis." He formed a band called the Roosters with singer Paul Jones, and after both Joneses left the group, Eric Clapton replaced Brian.
In May 1962, Jones placed an ad in "Jazz News," inviting musicians to try out for a new R&B group. Pianist Ian Stewart, vocalist Mick Jagger, and guitarist Keith Richards soon joined the band, later followed by bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts. They became known as the Rolling Stones when a venue owner asked Jones the name of the group during a phone call, and Brian noticed "The Best of Muddy Waters" on the floor and took the band name from the song "Rollin' Stone Blues." The band's 1964 self-titled debut album reached #1 in the U.K. and Australia, and it was certified Platinum in Canada and Gold in the U.S. The album featured the single "Not Fade Away," which reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart.
During his time with the band, Jones also performed on the albums "12 X 5" (1964), "The Rolling Stones No. 2" (1965), "The Rolling Stones, Now!" (1965), "Out of Our Heads" (1965), "December's Children (And Everybody's)" (1965), "Aftermath" (1966), "Between the Buttons" (1967), "Their Satanic Majesties Request" (1968), and "Beggars Banquet" (1968). During the recording of 1969's "Let It Bleed," Brian's drug use led to him showing up to recording sessions under the influence or skipping them altogether. The band fired him before the album was finished, and he only appeared on two tracks, "Midnight Rambler" and "You Got the Silver."
At this point, Jones had been arrested for drug possession twice, and due to his convictions, he wouldn't have been able to get a work permit so the band could tour North America. Brian performed on some of the Rolling Stones' biggest hits, including "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Get Off of My Cloud," "Paint It Black," "Let's Spend the Night Together," and "Jumpin' Jack Flash." In 1998, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2021, "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked it #31 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."
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Personal Life
In 1958, Jones got his girlfriend, Valerie Corbett, pregnant. Both were 16 years old, and Valerie gave the baby up for adoption. Brian quit school and spent the following summer traveling around northern Europe, busking for money. After running out of money and returning home to England, he had a one-night stand with a married woman, and the woman and her husband decided to raise the child, Belinda, who was born in August 1960. Brian never knew about the pregnancy.
In October 1962, Jones' girlfriend, Pat Andrews, gave birth to his son Julian Mark Andrews, and Brian began living with them and sold his record collection so he could afford to buy clothes for the baby. After the Rolling Stones got a manager, Jones was told to avoid being seen with Pat or Julian, and Andrews said that when the band found success, Jones "just seemed to drift away" and that she "never received a penny from Brian at all."
In July 1964, Jones' girlfriend, Linda Lawrence, gave birth to Brian's son Julian Brian Lawrence. Linda later married singer Donovan, and they changed Julian's last name to Leitch. After meeting model/actress Anita Pallenberg backstage while on tour, Jones began a relationship with her in 1965. Brian abused Anita, once breaking his hand on her face, and she left him for Keith Richards in 1967. Brian later dated models Suki Potier and Donyale Luna. At the time of his death he was living with model Anna Wohlin.
Cotchford Farm
In 1968, Jones purchased a 16th-century property in Hartfield, East Sussex, known as Cotchford Farm. A.A. Milne, author of "Winnie-the-Pooh" was a previous owner of the estate. Brian renovated the home after moving in, but he drowned there less than a year after buying it. In 2017, the six-bedroom, three-bathroom retreat sold for £1.8 million.
Cotchford Farm, 3rd July 1969. (Photo by Mirrorpix via Getty Images)
Death by Misadventure
Around midnight on July 2–3, 1969, Brian was found at the bottom of his swimming pool, and though Anna Wohlin insisted that Jones still had a pulse when he was taken out of the pool, he was pronounced D.O.A. at the hospital at age 27. The coroner's report listed the cause of death as drowning, later clarifying it as "death by misadventure" and noting that Brian's heart and liver were enlarged due to alcohol and drug abuse.
After Jones' death, Jim Morrison and Pete Townshend wrote poems about him ("Ode to L.A. While Thinking of Brian Jones, Deceased" and "A Normal Day for Brian, A Man Who Died Every Day," respectively), and Jimi Hendrix dedicated a song to Brian during a television performance. Coincidentally, both Morrison and Hendrix would die at 27 within two years of Jones' death, with Jim dying on the second anniversary of Brian's passing.
On July 5th, the Rolling Stones dedicated their free Hyde Park concert to Jones and released white butterflies during a tribute to him. Brian was laid to rest at Cheltenham Cemetery, and murder conspiracies soon arose, including one claiming that he was killed by builder Frank Thorogood, who had been doing work on Jones' property at the time of his death.
Awards and Nominations
During Brian's time in the Rolling Stones , the band won several "NME" Awards. They were named Best R&B Group in 1966, 1967, and 1968, and in 1964, they won the award for British Rhythm and Blues. In 1965, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was named Best New Disc Of The Year.
