On the road to recovery

She had spent the previous few months in upstate New York battling with pancreatic cancer, and was still on a course of chemotherapy when she took part in a video shoot for Stranger To My Happiness, the lead single from the band’s newly-released album Give The People What They Want.

“I knew the record was coming out, but those first few months from June to September I couldn’t sing,” she says of the painful road to recovery.

“Trying to sing would make me angry or more depressed. I started to get myself together in October.

“After the video shoot I was in bed again for four days. I did something for my church after that, and the Macy’s Day Parade, and was back in bed for four days after each time.

“My white blood cell count would get low. I had to take things very carefully and tell my management they couldn’t book me to do too much as I needed time to heal.”

In an interview with the Village Voice around the time of the video shoot, Jones dated her health problems back to a cold open air show in Boise, Idaho, in April 2013 when she was struck by a severe pain in her back which never went away.

“It was pancreatic cancer, so I had to take chemotherapy,” she tells The Guide before the band sets off on its first full European tour since her treatment.

“My hair fell out and it was very painful – my skin got even darker, you could see it really cooked my whole body.”

She moved out of Brooklyn to live with a friend in Sharon Springs to convalesce and start her course of treatment.

“I wanted to be away from everyone,” she says. “I didn’t want people around me feeling sorry for me and trying to tell me what I should be doing or not doing.

“I wanted the right people to take care of me, to tell me how to eat right and cook for me. I didn’t want people coming up on July 4 with their kids as kids carry germs. I had to really take care of myself.”

The band kept in touch through regular phone calls and check-ups. It was the support she received from fans on Facebook which she credits for her quick recovery.

“My fans were praying for me, and telling me: ‘Take your time – we miss you but take your time,’” she says. “It helped me heal faster.”

In the mean time the Dap Kings focused on finishing the record, working on their label Daptone, and going out on the road to play with different outfits.

Getting back on the road was important for Jones though.

“Our money is touring – that’s our payroll!” says Jones.

“The royalties come in every four months, but our money is made on the road.

“I want to do this until I’m ready to retire – I’m 58 now, I want to get to 64 and go back out there.”

Her last chemotherapy treatment was on New Year’s Eve, but Jones is still looking after herself.

“I have this green drink I drink every day which is part of my healing process,” she says. “I feel more energetic and stronger than I did before. The only thing is I’ve gained weight – I didn’t want to get my weight back.

“I take better care of myself on the road though – at home I eat the wrong things and don’t work out.”

As for the future there is another album in the works, and more touring, although Jones expects the work rate will be a little less than this year, especially now many of the Dap Kings have families.

There could be something even more exciting on the horizon too after Jones met one of her musical heroes at a Hollywood Bowl concert in his honour earlier this month.

“I did two of Stevie Wonder’s songs, Signed, Sealed, Delivered and Isn’t She Lovely,” says Jones, admitting she’s still on cloud nine after Wonder gave her his number following the performance.

“He said to call him, so I talked to him for 20 minutes last night. I did tell him whenever you want to get together to do something let me know.

“Whatever happens whether it is working together or friendship is good – I don’t want to be one of those stalkers. I will keep in touch with him once in a while – I don’t want to let him forget!

Sharon Jones And The Dap Kings Brighton Dome Concert Hall, Church Street, Wednesday, October 29