October 25, 2024 – by Jacqueline Burt Cote for Parade

Grammy Award-winning singer Jack Jones is dead at 86.

Known for singing the classic Love Boat theme song, Jones died on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 23, according to KESQ.

A popular vocalist in the 1960s, Jones was known for his Grammy-winning hits “Wives and Lovers” and “Lollipops and Roses” and made frequent appearances on variety shows throughout the ’60s and ’70s.

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In addition to being a singer, Jones also worked as an actor, appearing in films dating back to 1959 including Airplane II: The Sequel and American Hustle.

A resident of California’s Coachella Valley for the past several decades, Jones received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2003.

In 2016, he opened up to Las Vegas Magazine about the perks that came with his fame.

“Because of The Love Boat theme, everything was great on ships after that,” he said. “I did six weeks a year. They gave me the best suite on the ship, and it was the S.S. Norway. We just had a great time.”

In the same interview, Jones expressed his appreciation for his fanbase, particularly in the Philippines.

“I’ve been around a long time. I look forward to going back to the Philippines,” he said. “I’ve been there so many times and I have so many friends over there…My first gig over there was when I was young, and I’ve been going back every few years ever since.”

Jones continued, “Suddenly I noticed there were a lot of young kids in the audience singing along with my songs. I realized over there in the Philippines the families stay together, and when the kids grow up they bring the parents with them into their house. The parents bring all of their stuff, including Jack Jones records, and so they all know my music.”