For a moment, I forgot what the objective of the conversation was. I had no idea I was speaking with someone who majored in psychology and who is an impassioned follower of politics, particularly with the impact that the outcome of Nov. 8 can have on us all.

I thought I was just speaking to Shirley Jones of the legendary group The Jones Girls. She sees and understands the power of the propaganda. “There’s a perspective about us, and we need to shed the reality TV mentality that’s being spewed throughout this election campaign and jump-start a new dialogue,” she said. Along with exercising the right to vote, she’s keenly aware that actions need to be done in conjunction and offered, “There’s so much more that we need to include. We can’t just vote; we need to be involved in all facets of our community.”

Despite the obvious plagues that face our community, especially as it pertains to the youth, Jones sees a glimmer of hope. After all, growing up in Detroit she understands the life and death obstacles urban youth face. However, certain mores and values needn’t be tolerated. The rampant crude, disrespectful behavior is one thing, but using the universal language of music to defile yourself is in Jones’ eyes incomprehensible.

Jones explained, “I love some of what I’m seeing in the millennial generation. Let’s hope this new political conscience continues to grow so the hate can dissipate and the music can have a purpose. You need music that soothes you, uplifts your spirits and challenges your thoughts. The songs that we made 30, 35 years ago still make people feel the way we felt when we heard or made them.”

With the word “we,” she’s speaking of the collective fraternity of great soul music artists of the 70s and 80s in general and of her record label, Philadelphia International Records, in particular. Sharing a roster with such legends as Patti LaBelle, The O’Jays, Phyllis Hyman, Teddy Pendergrass, Jean Carne and Lou Rawls, The Jones Girls (Shirley, Valorie and Brenda) weren’t just window dressing. They contributed mightily to the hit machine that the label was in its prime, with hits such as “You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else,” and “Dance Turned into a Romance,” and the legacy label it has become that has influence over the current music domain.

Dial it back to 1995 when a song from The Jones Girls self-titled debut album, a B-side to the hit single I might add, “Who Can I Run To?” was covered by Xscape and became a massive hit. Although they gave a great interpretation, they pretty much stuck to the original. Shirley explains the blueprint served for not just that song but their catalog. “There were no Pro Tools (a computer software system used to make recording easier and sometimes to enhance),” she said. “There were times we’d be huddled up in the studio for days making sure that we had the sound right.”

She added, “I’m a firm believer that you can’t relay the story until you learn the story. It was something we and others at the label were taught; to live the song first and it’s one of the keys to our success. After you know the situation, you can become the character. That’s when I can color certain words and add emphasis to certain passages to make it believable and relatable. But you had to know the story.”

Having a respect for the story went hand in hand with respect for the authors of the story: the songwriters. She recollects a song that over time has become a classic, “Nights Over Egypt.”

“A fan/friend, who’s also a pastor, told me he takes members of his church annually to Africa and said to me that listening to ‘Nights Over Egypt’ while floating on the Nile is one of the most ethereal experiences you can have,” she said. “That came from one of the best songwriting teams that we’ve worked with—the music of Dexter Wansel and the lyrics of Cynthia Biggs. Cynthia told me that she went to the library to look up definitions of certain words to make sure they were in the context of what she was trying to say. When people put that kind of effort into a song to make sure the lyrics portray a certain feeling, we knew we had to deliver.”

Even with a stellar career, Jones stills sees opportunity for growth. As a student of the game, she stated, “One of the things that I have to give to the artist of today is their marketing sense. They know how to brand themselves and their product. We were just slaves to the record labels. If we had that vision, we could have made more and done more for our communities.”

With that more activity can be expected. She has a relatively new CD on the market entitled “My Time to Shine” and a prime slot on the touring 30th anniversary production of Shelly Garrett’s “Beauty Shop.” And for us in the tristate area, she is in performance at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, along with Russell Thompkins Jr. and the New Stylistics, The Dramatics featuring L.J. Reynolds, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes and Ted Mills, the voice of Blue Magic, Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, 8 p.m. at Prudential Hall.

Jones concluded, “I find a lot of people come up to me after a performance and tell me how much they enjoyed not only how we said or sang things, but what we were saying. I take one of my songs, ‘Do You Get Enough Love?,’ which was a No. 1 hit for me and switch up the lyrics to do you give enough love? Are you sharing your blessings with someone else?”

Food for thought.

I’m gone. Holla next week. Til then, enjoy the nightlife.