Meet Moore People: Windell Jones

Meet Moore People is a series dedicated to the people we meet each day but do not really know; people who make Moore County a great place to live and work.

Say “hello” to Windell Jones.

When Windell Jones, 42, is not driving around Moore County with his mother, Lois Jones, he is busy working on his new career.

His mother moved to Southern Pines last month and bought a house near her son’s.

“She stayed with me for seven months during the pandemic,” Jones said.

Jones and his wife, Taylor, have a 5-year-old daughter, Laina.

“Before the military, I spent my teen years in singing groups. My parents said, ‘He’s really into this and pushed me into the military,” Jones said.

After 22 years and seven months, Jones retired from the U.S. Army and is making demos, writing new songs, acting and producing.

“I get to disappear,” Jones said about acting. And “singing is a work to perfect.”

Windell Jones sings a love song on May 12, 2022. Audio provided.

Jones lives in Southern Pines and has been in North Carolina for six years.

“God is really good. Everything I asked for, and things I didn’t ask for, he gave me,” Jones said.

Military life and belief systems clashed for Jones. At the beginning of his career, he spent three years in combat arms and then joined the National Guard and was called for active duty as a tanker operator during 9/11.

“I’m against war. I have a general love for everybody,” Jones said.

He returned to the U.S. Army and worked in human resources and said he liked postal duty.

“Casualty reports are hard, depending on how vulgar the war is. When an ambulance comes, if the victim can talk, we have to interview him and ask when the hit happened, who it was and where, and only get about three minutes,” Jones said.

“I have to get back into being creative. The military took that,” Jones said.

He has a list of demo songs and is in touch with a friend from high school who produces film.

He auditioned in high school for artist development classes and sang “Tomorrow” by Tevin Campbell.

“We learned to use equipment and work as a band and come up with three-minute songs,” Jones said.

Jones’ motto is that anything is possible, but you have to figure it out.

If you know someone who you think makes Moore County a great place to live and would like to see them profiled in this series, please send your suggestions to [email protected].

Feature Photo: Windell Jones enjoys an afternoon on May 12, 2022, at Reservoir Park in Southern Pines.

~Article and photo by Sandhills Sentinel Journalist Stephanie M. Sellers. 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email