PIONEER musician and inventor, 94-year-old Hedley Jones was the toast of the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) in downtown, Kingston last Wednesday as he was awarded the Musgrave Gold Medal for 2011.

Jones stood straight, though perhaps a little shakily, as a citation cataloguing his stellar achievements was read by Dr Alfred Sangster, acting chairman of the IOJ’s council.

The audience gasped in delight as they heard of his many accomplishments. His was a full life of many highlights; from his birthplace in Wakefield, St Catherine in 1917, Jones built his first musical instrument, a cello, at age 14.

Undaunted by unsuccessful efforts to join the police force or land a civil service job, Jones embarked on several careers and occupations, including tailoring, the repair of sewing machines and gramophones, proofreader at Times Printery in Kingston and the Daily Gleaner, and after studying electronics, the repair of radios.

But it was Jones’ love for music that was to lead him to his landmark invention as, after starting his music career playing the banjo, and hearing a hollow body electric guitar in 1939, he went on to build what may have been the world’s first solid body electric guitar in 1940.

“The solid body electric guitar is one of the most important developments in the history of modern music and has had an incalculable influence on rock and roll,” the citation stated.

Jones’ was to have more influence on local music as after serving the British Royal Air Force and being trained as a radar engineer between 1943 and 1946, he established a radio service and record business in Kingston and built most of the legendary sound systems of the day — for Tom “The Great Sebastian”, Arthur “Duke” Reid, and “Sir Coxone” for Clement Dodd, for who he later built the famous Studio One recording studio.

Always investigating in the scientific field, Jones also demonstrated Jamaica’s first traffic lights, was an an astronomer who built his own lenses, and fought for the rights of musicians in the tourism industry.

Jones received the Musgrave Gold Medal from Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen.

Replying on behalf of this year’s awardees, who included four recipients of the Musgrave Silver Medal and three bronze medallists, Jones thanked the institute for the honour bestowed on them. He also paid tribute to those who he called forerunners — “some of whom have passed on and others still with us” — who made their achievements possible.

Receiving Musgrave Silver Medals for outstanding merit were: Hazel Campbell, author of several well-loved children’s books; theatre director extraordinaire Trevor Nairne in the field of drama; Omari Sediki Ra for art and art education; and Dr Lawrence Williams for scientific research, including the isolation of cancer treatment compounds from tropical plants.

Winners of the Musgrave Bronze Medal for merit were Dr Tracey Lincoln in the field of biochemistry; Jamaica Observer columnist and author Sharon Leach for short story writing and promotion of the literary arts through journalism; and renowned dance teacher Cynthia Noble.

Founded in 1889 as a memorial to Sir Anthony Musgrave, governor of Jamaica from 1877 to 1883 and founder of the IOJ in 1879, the Musgrave Medals are awarded in recognition of notable contributions in literature, art and science in Jamaica.