Isham Edgar Jones, born January 31, 1894, in Coalton, Ohio, was an American saxophonist, bassist, and songwriter. He formed his first group in Saginaw, Michigan, and had his initial composition "On the Alamo" published in 1911. Jones moved to Chicago in 1915, where his big band gained popularity with "Wabash Blues", which topped the American charts for six weeks in 1921. He recorded extensively for Brunswick Records and later signed with Victor in 1932. Jones retired in 1936 but briefly returned to music in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He passed away on October 19, 1956. Posthumously, Isham Edgar Jones was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989, with his song "It Had To Be You" receiving Grammy Hall of Fame recognition in 2007.
