(June 6, 2026) Smoke Jones’ prowess as a musical storyteller has earned him an honored place in Detroit’s music scene. That’s saying something. The Motor City doesn’t play when it comes to music, so for an artist to be as decorated as Jones means that he has the respect of his fellow musicians, critics and fans.
Jones’ craftmanship can be heard in “Change of Heart,” his new single that is featured in this First Listen. “Change of Heart” finds Jones using his rangy voice to tell the story of devolution of a relationship. We hear him take listeners from the sweet beginning when a couple is spiritually, emotionally and physically connected to the point of separation where two people become alienated from each other.
Something happened that changed the way these two people see each other. The love may still be there, but that love now competes with distrust, fear and the realization that something has shifted. Jones’ vocal performance brings the vulnerability and honesty of a man who is searching for what caused the shift. Jones moves easily from his powerful and assertive baritone to a falsetto that carries the weight of the confusion that he feels.
Check out Smoke Jones bearing it all on his new song “Change of Heart” here.
By Howard Dukes
