The Counterfeit Queen of Soul

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In 2018, Jeff Mysch published his reporting on Vicki Jones in the Smithsonian magazine. Tell me about her sons. What did they have to say about their mother? When Gregory finally agreed to talk about his mother, he was so emotional and so happy that someone had finally called him because he'd obviously been telling this story to friends and people over the decades.

Mary Jones could sing just like Aretha Franklin. One night, a James Brown impersonator saw her perform at a Motown tribute show - and thought he could take her on tour and trick audiences into believing she was the real Queen of Soul. Jeff Maysh tells the story.

Learn more in Jeff Maysh’s piece for Smithsonian Magazine, “The Counterfeit Queen of Soul.”

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