Guitarist Carvin Jones has passed away after battling cancer.
Known as the “King of Strings,” the beloved musician was 60 years old.
‘King of Strings’
“It is with immeasurable sadness that we share that Carvin Keith Anthony Jones, known to his family and friends around the world as Carvin Jones, the ‘King of Strings,’ passed away in the early morning of September 20, 2026, ” read a Facebook post from Jones’ friends and family.
“Born in Lufkin, Texas, and long based in Phoenix, Carvin devoted his life to music. His sound was rooted in East Texas, where blues, gospel, R&B, and rock and roll intersected. He first discovered the blues through the B.B. King records his grandfather played at home and began playing at seven, when his grandmother bought him his first guitar,” the tribute continued.
“Carvin loved being onstage because he loved being with people. He would leave the stage to play in the crowd, turning every show into something shared. That same generosity shaped his life offstage. Basketball was Carvin’s other great love, and he sponsored and coached youth teams. During the pandemic, he created Carvin Cares, using his own money to deliver groceries to elderly residents throughout Phoenix,” the statement added. “Our family is deeply grateful to everyone who supported Carvin during these last months. Your generosity meant so much to him and to us. We hope you will join us in Phoenix to celebrate his life. Details will be shared publicly once plans are confirmed.”
He Battled Prostate Cancer
Less than a week before his passing, Jones shared a GoFundMe to seek help to cover the costs of his treatment for prostate cancer.
“As you can see I’m back in the hospital … and the doctor has pulled the plug on all my tours and gigging for the time being until I can get some internal things under control and strength back in my legs,” he wrote.
“Many of you know I have had to use a wheelchair recently and I’m going to need a lot of therapy to get my legs back under me,” he added. “As much as I hate to say it, I’m forced to ask for all y’alls help again. Between the current hospital stay and the expected rehab facility stay I’m gonna be down for a while working hard to get back on track and I need y’all.”
He Shared the Stage with Legends
Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Jones performed in 37 countries on three different continents, and shared the stage with such iconic guitarists as B.B. King, Jeff Beck and Carlos Santana.
Named one of the 50 all-time greatest blues guitarists by a Guitar Magazine poll, Jones and his band were true road warriors, averaging a staggering 330 shows per year.
Over the course of his career, The Carvin Jones Band released 12 albums, including 2011’s “The Carvinator” and several live albums recorded in locales ranging from Hamburg to London to Rome.
“Carvin Jones is a young cat out of Phoenix who I think is the next up-and-coming blues player,” guitar legend Eric Clapton once said of Jones, per his website.
