Terry Jones (singer)

Teresa "Terry" Lea Lang Jones (born May 17, 1970) is a founding member of Contemporary Christian music group Point of Grace. She announced her retirement from the group in late 2003 and officially left in early 2004.^[1] She has won 7 Dove Awards with Point of Grace.

Background

Jones lived in California until age 13, when her father's job moved the family to Norman, Oklahoma. She became a Christian at an early age. The company her father worked with was under federal investigation and he went to prison; she counted on friends Heather Floyd and Denise Masters for support. After graduating from high school she majored in elementary education at Ouachita Baptist University, specializing in early childhood. She was quite popular in college and won the Miss OBU title in her freshman year. She was also active in the Women of EEE Social Club. Never abandoning her love of singing, she joined the Ouachitones, a 14-girl singing group, with Heather and Denise; the three friends formed a trio within the group. After Shelley Phillips joined them and the trio became a quartet, they began travelling around the South and Midwest and developed a following. They signed a contract with Word Records in 1992 and their debut album was released in 1993.

Point Of Grace

Jones achieved much success with Point of Grace: 7 Dove Awards, 12 Dove nominations, 2 Grammy nominations, 6 Gold Albums, 2 Platinum albums, and 27 #1 singles, as well as national media exposure in television including The View, Entertainment Tonight, Donny & Marie, CNN Worldbeat, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, and CBS This Morning. Jones wrote five books as a Point of Grace member and frequently appeared with her groupmates at Women of Faith conferences. In 2002 the group developed the Girls of Grace conferences.

In 2002, after the release of 24, their greatest hits collection, and the birth of her third child, Jones retired from Point of Grace to stay at home with her family. It had been increasingly difficult for her to juggle a full-time singing career and family life, and in November 2003 she posted a letter on the group's official website stating that she would be retiring from Point of Grace. The four unanimously agreed that Leigh Cappillino, the wife of the group's longtime guitar player Dana Cappillino, was the perfect person to continue what Jones had started with the girls. Her last official tour was Michael W. Smith's 2003 Christmastime Tour and her last concert was in Little Rock, AR on February 28, 2004. She made one appearance with the group after retiring; on April 18, 2005, the I Choose You Tour made a stop in Hot Springs, AR, where they were inducted into the Arkansas Hall of Fame. Jones was present to receive the plaque and the group performed the song "Circle Of Friends" as a quintet.

Personal life

Jones married her husband Chris on May 14, 1994. They currently reside in Little Rock, AR with their three children: Cole Devore (born April 15, 1998), Luke Marshall (born December 26, 1999), and Mallory Louise (born August 7, 2002).

Other activities

With Shelley Breen, Heather Payne and Denise Jones, Terry Jones supports Mercy Ministries of America, a non-profit organization for women who face life-controlling issues such as self-mutilation, sexual abuse, and unplanned pregnancies.

She was a featured guest on fellow former Point Of Grace member Heather Payne's debut solo album, Sweet Exchange.

References