Mark Jones

Original member.

Mark began taking piano lessons around the age of 9 from Iva Gardner in Belk, Alabama. He had only taken for three years when he got sick and had to quit for health reasons. Later, he joined the Fayette County High School band where he played drums (the snare drum, the bas drum, timbales, etc).

His experience with the drums and the piano came in handy when his brother, James Jones, invited Mark to come along to a practice session with the quartet, “The Columbians”, in which James played the piano. That was the night that he was handed a pair of drumsticks by Don Sheperd and was asked to play a ‘trap’ set for the first time. This was also the same night that Neal Champion was asked to play the bass quitar.

Mark later moved to the piano when his brother, James, left for college, and Chris Champion, Neal’s brother, came to join to group on drums. Mark played the piano for the group for about 5 years or so before moving on to the “Bama Boys”.

During Mark’s tenure with “The Bama Boys”, he wrote a song titled “Inside The Gate”, that was recorded by the Kingsmen on their “Mississippi Live” album in Jackson, MS. Joe Champion made sure that Mark was present during this recording.

Mark graduated from Fayette County High School in Fayette, Alabama, graduated from Brewer State Jr. College in Fayette, AL, with an Associate Degree in Business Administration and also from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL, with a BS degree in Business Administration.

Mark took a break from playing for a group for a while and focused on his writing. In 1996, he wrote a song titled “My Son”, and as a result, Chosen Witness was formed. Mark has been playing for about 32 years and just recently sang baritone on the song “A Grace That Knows No Bounds”, which is on the latest recording of Chosen Witness entitled “Back To The Cross”.

He married the former Pam Mayo from Gordo, Alabama, in 1984. They have two beautiful girls, Noelle and Alaina.

Mark and his family live in Gordo, Alabama.  He plays the piano and has also written many songs that have been recorded by Chosen Witness (and other artists).