Corey Jones
Corey Jones
KEEP THE BEAT ALIVE: A Diamond In The Field
It was October 18th, on a Sunday afternoon when the phone rang. CJ said his brother was shot and killed by police on the way home from our Future Prezidents show in Jupiter, Florida. We didn’t know any details other than Corey was waiting for a tow on the Southbound I-95 PGA offramp in Palm Beach Gardens. It took thirteen hours for Palm Beach Gardens Police to notify the family. We found out later police had sent text messages to elected officials during this time and the plainclothes officer was without badge, police siren and lights. We felt betrayed as people asked, “Whose side are they on?”
My first time meeting Corey, he came to a Future Prez show in Fort Lauderdale to sit in and see if we might be a good fit for each other. As a reggae influenced original band, finding the right drummer is as much about about ability as it is personality and right from the start we had an understanding. As I helped him unload his drums, he grabbed my guitar and amp. Our dynamic was seamless. We both felt blessed. Soon after I met Corey he introduced me to his bassist friend of 4 years Zack. They were tight and passionate about
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performing together. My last bassist had just relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee when Corey brought Zack into rehearsal. Simply put, it was a high vibration. As we prepared for another midwest tour and our first album together, I remember the music, rehearsal, and vibes just kept getting better. FP’s last show with Corey was a celebration. Friends came out from Jupiter and from as far away as Columbus, Ohio. It was a warm feeling seeing our people come together, it was all we wanted.
As I stood at Corey’s grave last week, we watched the sun set over the baseball field listening to the silence, followed by the crack of the bat and voices of kids cheering on their teammates. It was a familiar feeling. I stayed until last light, making sure he knew that I was there. I said, “Ok Prez I’ll see you again soon brother. Ya feel me?”
1st Annual KEEP THE BEAT ALIVE Benefit Festival for Corey Jones will be held December 10 at Longboards, Respectable Street and Subculture Coffee WPB. Lineup: Adam Kaye, Charlie Lawson, JL Fulks, Dark Water Rebellion, J Sharp Band, Jah Steve & Counteract Crew, Guavatron, Roots Shakedown, Future Prezidents, The Helmsmen, LFTD LVLS, Ethan Parker Band, Fireside Prophets! 100% of beverage sales goes to benefit Corey Jones Scholarship Fund. Stay tuned as we #KeepTheBeatAlive4Corey our friend and drummer at www.facebook.com/FuturePrezidents, Instagram & Periscope as FuturePrezidents. FREE ADMISSION!
~ Boris Simeonov
