SaturclaydDeccmfcr 2Oth, 2016 1:00 Q T h e JmperiaC h e a t e r 743 Onroad Street duAusta,ffd 30301 d&everend OCevinffackson, Officiating O refer o fService Off. d a t in g : Reverend Kevi n J a c k s o n Vrelude Minister of Music: Denise Campbell Solo Denise Campbell Scripture Reading, Old Testament Minister ReginaJackson Scripture Reading, New Testament Prophet Tara LeMons Prayer of Comfort Reverend Daviad Mitckem Solo Minister Dennis Campbell Video Reflection Matt Rogers Video Reflection Barbara Kopple R e f ection Reverend Pkitlippe Cummings Rejl ection Liz Berry Rejl ection Lee Fields Words of Comfort Reverend Pkitlippe Cummings Reading of the Okituary Apostle Vaugkn LeMons Selection Mrs. Flo Carter Ojfi ciator welcomes the Presider fo r Musical Tribute Musical Tribute Deanna Brown His bye Is on I he Sparrow Tkis Land Is Your Land Snperbsid Ryan Abel and James Brown Academy ofMusik Pupils (JAMP) Obituary tk Sharon Lafaye Jones was horn on May 4 , 1956 in a stockroom at the University Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, to Ella and CharlieJones. She was tke youngest o f six children. Skaron moved witk her mother to New York City when she was three, kut they split their time ketween there and Augusta. At age io, Skaron was baptized at North Augusta Baptist Church in Soutk Carolina and got herfirst singing role at the church as an angel in the Ckristmas pageant. Skaron graduated fro m Thomas Jefferson Higk Sckool in Brooklyn, NY and attended Brooklyn Tecknical College, wkere ske majored in Music. In 1969, ske kecame a m ember o f the Universal Church o f God in Queens, NY, wkere the Biskop Elijak Fields encouraged her to take up piano and kecome the resident church musician. She went on to lead the choir, known as EL Fields' Gospel Wonders. Tke ckoir took part in numerous competitions that eventually placed them on stage at Madison Square Garden wkere tkey came in in a nationwide event. Bishop Fields passed away in 2003 and Sharon continued to be a m ember o f the church under Rev. Margo Fields throughout her life. In the 80s and 90s, Sharon started singing in a.wedding handfrom Staten Island led h yjoh n Costellano called Good & Plenty. Tkey quickly became a regionaljavorite in the Tri-State area. In 1996, Skarons boyfriend at the time recommended her to sing background vocals fo r the Lee Fields song "Let a Man Do W kat He Wanna Do", recorded by Gabriel Rotk and released by Desco Records. Gabriel was so blown away by Skarons voice tkat during tkat same recording session he convinced her to record lead vocals on the songs "Switckblade" and "Tke Landlord". Ske sang nore and more fo r Desco Records and started touring internationally witk tke label's kouse band, Tke Soul Providers. In 2001, Skaron joined Gabriel on kis new label Daptone Records, wkere she released her first full-length album Dap-Dippin'...witk Skaron Jones and the Dap-Kings. Over the next sixteen years, Skaron experienced a kigkly successful recording and touring career with the DapKings, releasing eight albums witk them and earning a Grammy nomination fo r Best R & B Album in 2015. There is an online guest hook fo r this service at kttp ://www.skaronj onesancltkeciap kings.com/rememberings karon Sharon appeared on nearly every (ate night and daytime television show with the Dap-Kings including The Tonighti Show withJay Leno, Tke Late Show witk kotk David Letterman i and Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live. She -performed in the world's most jam ous concert hails,from Radio City Music Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, to the Sydney Opera House and the Apollo Theater (seven times!!!). In addition to touring the world with the Dap-Kings, Sharon collaborated in the studio and on stage with Prince, The Roots,John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Booker T and the MGs, David Byrne, Michael Buble, and Hall & Oates. Sharon was hand-picked by Denzel Washington to play the part o f "Lila" in his Jilm The Great Debaters. Sharons voice can be heard in numerous film s and commercials and she also can be seen in The W o lf o f W all Street and, most recently, in Netflix's Luke Cage. In 2010, Sharon bought her first house in her hometown o f North Augusta, SC and moved there with her mother and sister. In 2013, Sharon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer andfaced it like only she could. After undergoing treatment at Columbia Presbyterian in New York City, she moved upstate to Sharon Springs, NY,Jocusing on getting healthy in order to get back on the road. In early 2014, Skaron returned to the stage, performing around the globe more ferociously than she ever had before. Every nigkt, she fe d o ff the energy o f the audience and skared the testimony o f her survival through the song "Get Up and Get Out". Tkis period in Skarons life was strikingly captured by Oscar-winning director Barkara Kopple in tke critically acclaimed documentary Miss Skaronjones! After numerous successful Battles with cancel including various surgeries and courses o f chemotherapy, Sharon lost her valiant Battle on NovemBer 18,2016, in Cooperstown, NY. Ske was surrounded By kerfamily andjriends, includingtke Dap-Kings and her managers. Beyond her extraordinary professional achievements, tkose wko loved her knew Skaron fo r her non-stop sense o f humor, Brutal konesty and, most o f all, her love o f fshing. Skaron is survived By two sisters --Dorajones Getzson and Willia (Samuel) Stringer -- and two brothers --Isiah (Dorotky) Jones and Henry (Betty) Jones -- konorary sisters Jackie Rickards, Ellen Rickards, and Eitz Rickards, Jr, a kost o f nieces, nepkews, greatnieces and greatnepkews, and hundreds o f thousands o f fan s worldwide. Cone Jish in ' T by:^Dcfmar ^ c fifc r I've finished life's chores assigned to me, So put me on a boat headed out to sea. Please send along my Risking pole For I've been invited to thefishin' hole. Wkere every day is a day to fish, To fill your heart with every wisk. Don't worry, or Jeel sad fo r me, V m fishin' witk the Master of the sea. We will miss eack other fo r awkile, But you will come and bring your smile. Tkat won't be long you will see, Till we're together you and me. To all those that think of me, Be kappy as 1 go out to sea. i f others wonder wky 1'm missin' Ju st tell 'em I've gone fishin'. \ L rim c H j: