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Brian Jones

Brian Jones was an English musician best known as a founding member of the Rolling Stones.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Brian Jones was an English musician best known as a founding member of the Rolling Stones. He helped form the band in 1962, gave it its name, and played a key early role before being removed from the group in June 1969. He died on 3 July 1969 at age 27, in circumstances officially recorded as drowning.

Early life

Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, in 1942. Sources describe him as a British musician who developed an early interest in blues and guitar.

The Rolling Stones

Jones founded the Rolling Stones in 1962 and recruited the musicians who formed the original lineup. He was important to the band’s early identity and musical style, including its blues focus.

Decline and departure

As the Rolling Stones became more successful, Jones’s influence declined and his alcohol and drug problems made him increasingly unreliable in the studio. The band dismissed him in June 1969, and Mick Taylor joined as his replacement.

Death and legacy

Jones died on 3 July 1969 at his home in East Sussex, aged 27. He remains a significant figure in rock history as a founder of the Rolling Stones and an early example of the 1960s rock icon.

Key facts

  • Jones founded the Rolling Stones in 1962 and named the band.
  • He was an early musical leader in the group, especially in its blues-oriented phase.
  • His role diminished as Keith Richards and Mick Jagger took over the band’s musical direction.
  • He was dismissed from the Rolling Stones in June 1969 and died less than a month later.
  • Official accounts describe his death as drowning, with the coroner ruling it an accidental death/misadventure.
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Canadian context

Brian Jones is relevant to Canadian readers as a major figure in the history of rock music and the Rolling Stones, whose recordings and tours have had long-standing popularity in Canada.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Brian Jones?
Brian Jones was an English musician and one of the founding members of the Rolling Stones.
What was Brian Jones’s birth name?
His birth name was Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones.
What was Brian Jones known for in the Rolling Stones?
He helped found the band, named it, and played a major role in its early blues-based sound.
When did Brian Jones leave the Rolling Stones?
He was dismissed from the band in June 1969 and replaced by Mick Taylor.
How did Brian Jones die?
He died by drowning on 3 July 1969 at his home in East Sussex; the death was officially treated as accidental.
How old was Brian Jones when he died?
He was 27 years old.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Jones
    Supports: Birth name, birth and death dates/places, Rolling Stones founding role, dismissal, replacement, and basic biographical details.
  2. BBC Gloucestershire — https://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2006/07/20/brian_jones_feature.shtml
    Supports: Cheltenham birth, founding-member status, and death date.
  3. Who2 — https://www.who2.com/bio/brian-jones/
    Supports: Formation of the Rolling Stones, role in the band, departure, death at age 27, and accidental-death ruling.
  4. Rolling Stone — https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/brian-jones-sympathy-for-the-devil-182761/
    Supports: Contemporary reporting on his death and official cause-of-death findings.
  5. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427627/bio/
    Supports: Birth date, death date, and birth name.
  6. uDiscoverMusic — https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/just-why-was-brian-jones-so-important-to-the-rolling-stones/
    Supports: Early musical importance, slide guitar association, and 1969 drowning.