Jules Alexander

Jules Gary Alexander (born September 25, 1943) is an American Musician, Songwriter, and Arranger. He is well remembered for being a founding member of the pop group The Association.
==Early Life==
Alexander was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and moved to California with his family as a teen.
==Career==
===1962–1965===
Alexander was an optical technician in the navy based in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, 1962, when he met salesman Terry Kirkman. The two became friends and promised to meet up when Alexander was discharged. 
A year later, Alexander discharged, and they started a band called the Inner Tubes, that played at the Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood. The band's personnel constantly changed, with some of its members including Cass Elliot (later of the Mamas & the Papas) and David Crosby (later of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young). 
By late 1964/early 1965, the Inner Tubes would slowly shift from a small folk ensemble into a 13-piece folk group called the Men. When the Men broke up, the two and four other members formed the Association. Before his career took off, Alexander was a bouncer at a nightclub, and often rode to work in a motorcycle owned by Steppenwolf frontman John Kay.
===1966–1968===
The Association signed to Valiant Records in 1966 and their first album, And Then... Along Comes the Association, was produced. A second album, Renaissance, was released a bit after. On all releases from 1966 to 1967, he was credited as Gary Alexander (his middle name), but would use the name Jules from 1969 onwards.
The Association quickly grew in popularity when their singles "Cherish" and "Along Comes Mary", charted in the Top 10. Alexander was a key songwriter for the group, along with Kirkman and Yester. Alexander’s most notable songs he co-wrote were “Changes” (1966), “Looking Glass” (1966), and “Pandora’s Golden Heebie Jeebies” (1966). Alexander was the main musical arranger in the band.
Alexander left in 1967 to study meditation in India, and was replaced by Larry Ramos (previously of the New Christy Minstrels fame). Whilst in India, Alexander converted to Buddhism and still follows the religion. During the 1967-69 period Alexander was absent with the band, they achieved higher commercial success with appearances on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Ed Sullivan Show, and the million-selling songs "Windy", "Never My Love", and "Everything That Touches You".
Alexander wrote the song His Blues, for the band The Joyride in 1968. In addition, he co-wrote the song Lovin' Stew, with Jeff Comanor, for The 5th Dimension that same year.
===1969–1989===
After a short stint with the band "Joshua Fox", Alexander returned to the Association in 1969. 
The Association were main contributors to the soundtrack of the 1969 film Goodbye, Columbus, and in addition, sang the title theme. They were nominated for an Golden Globe Award for Best Song for Motion Picture. Jules provided backing vocals on the album Attacking A Straw Man, released by The New Colony Six in 1969.
Jules played bass guitar on the 1971 album, Hexagram 16, a solo album released by former Association member Russ Giguere. Also in 1971, he wrote the track, One, for the New Zealand-based group, The Chapta, and, in 1973, co-wrote the track, Worried About You, for The Dillards, as well as write the song Caney Creek, for Dillards member Rodney Dillard. Alexander remained until 1974, when he left to form a short-lived band called Bijou. They were nearly signed to A&M Records, but the deal fell through. 
Alexander wrote the music for the 1974 sci-fi movie UFO: Target Earth and recorded the music for it in Ike Turner’s studio. Alexander provided vocals on Hoyt Axton's 1975 album Southbound.
Alexander returned to the Association for a third tenure from 1979 to 1989. During this time, he briefly played bass guitar. Jules was vocal arranger for the 1979 album Hide Away, by the band Brush Arbor. In 1984, Jules, along with fellow Association members Terry Kirkman, Larry Ramos, and Ric Ulsky, provided backing vocals for the 1984 single Anything Goes!, released by the Baltimore-based Psychedelic rock group United States of Existence. The four also sang backing vocals on their album, Introducing, released in 1986.
===1998–2004===
Alexander wrote the song Would You Like To Go for The Ballroom in 1998. In September 2003, the Association was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Alexander joined other members at the induction ceremony in Niles, Ohio. A year later, Alexander and the then-surviving members of the 1960s lineup briefly reunited for the taping of a PBS 1960s rock music special '60s Experience on December 9, 2004.
===2012–present===
Alexander returned to the Association in January 2012, and has remained a member since. Alexander was a data wrangler prior to rejoining in 2012 in Texas.
During the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown, Alexander announced he was working on a solo album in his home studio.
==Personal Life==
Alexander lives in Texas with his wife of over 30 years.
==Discography==
===With The Association===
====Studio Albums====
Title 	Year
And Then... Along Comes the Association	1966
Renaissance 	1966
The Association 	1969
Stop Your Motor 	1971
Waterbeds in Trinidad! 	1972
====Singles====
Year	Single (A-side, B-side)	Certification	Album
1965	"Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"
b/w "Baby, Can't You Hear Me Call Your Name"	 	Non-album tracks
1965	"One Too Many Mornings"
b/w "Forty Times"	 	Non-album tracks
1966	"Along Comes Mary"
b/w "Your Own Love"	 	And Then...Along Comes the Association
1966	"Cherish"
b/w "Don't Blame It on Me" (titled "Don't Blame the Rain" on non-U.S. 45s)	US: Gold 	And Then...Along Comes the Association
1966	"Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies"
b/w "Standing Still" (from And Then...Along Comes the Association)	 	Renaissance
1969	"The Time It Is Today"
b/w "Enter the Young" (from And Then...Along Comes the Association)	 	Birthday
1969	"Goodbye, Columbus"
b/w "The Time It Is Today" (from Birthday)	 	Goodbye, Columbus soundtrack
1969	"Under Branches"
b/w "Hear in Here" (from Birthday)	 	The Association
1970	"Yes, I Will"
b/w "I Am Up for Europe"	 	The Association
1970	"Dubuque Blues"
b/w "Are You Ready"	 	The Association
1970	"Just About the Same"
b/w "Look at Me, Look at You" (from The Association)	 	Non-album track
1970	"Along the Way"
b/w "Traveler's Guide"	 	Stop Your Motor
1971	"P.F. Sloan"
b/w "Traveler's Guide"	 	Stop Your Motor
1971	"Bring Yourself Home"
b/w "It's Gotta Be Real"	 	Stop Your Motor
1971	"That's Racin'"
b/w "Makes Me Cry" (alternate title for "Funny Kind of Song")	 	Stop Your Motor
1972	"Darlin' Be Home Soon"
b/w "Indian Wells Woman"	 	Waterbeds in Trinidad!
1972	"Come the Fall"
b/w "Kicking the Gong Around"	 	Waterbeds in Trinidad!
1973	"Names, Tags, Numbers and Labels"
b/w "Rainbows Bent" (from Waterbeds in Trinidad!)	 	Non-album tracks
1975	"One Sunday Morning"
b/w "Life Is a Carnival"	 	Non-album tracks
1975	"Sleepy Eyes"
b/w "Take Me to the Pilot"	 	Non-album tracks
1981	"Dreamer"
b/w "You Turn the Light On"	 	Non-album tracks
1981	"Small Town Lovers"
b/w "Across the Persian Gulf"	 	Non-album tracks
===With Joshua Fox===
====Studio Albums====
Title 	Year
Joshua Fox	1969
===For Other Artists===
Song 	Album 	Role 	For 	Year
 	Attacking A Straw Man	Backing vocalist	The New Colony Six 	1969
 	Hexagram 16 	Bass guitarist 	Russ Giguere 	1971
 	Southbound 	Backing vocalist	Hoyt Axton 	1975
 	Hide Away 	Vocal arranger 	Brush Arbor 	1979
Anything Goes!	 	Backing vocalist	United States of Experience	1984
==Songwriting Credits==
Title 	For 	Album 	Year
Your Own Love 	The Association 	“And Then... Along Comes the Association''	1966
Round Again 	The Association 	And Then... Along Comes the Association 	1966
Remember 	The Association 	And Then... Along Comes the Association 	1966
Changes 	The Association 	And Then... Along Comes the Association 	1966
Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies 	The Association 	Renaissance 	1966
Angeline 	The Association 	Renaissance 	1966
You May Think 	The Association 	Renaissance 	1966
Looking Glass 	The Association 	Renaissance 	1966
Come to Me 	The Association 	Renaissance 	1966
You Hear Me Call Your Name 	The Association 	Renaissance 	1966
Another Time, Another Place 	The Association 	Renaissance 	1966
His Blues 	The Joyride 	 	1968
Lovin' Stew 	The 5th Dimension	Stoned Soul Picnic 	1968
Love Affair 	The Association 	The Association 	1969
Dubuque Blues 	The Association 	The Association 	1969
Under Branches 	The Association 	The Association 	1969
I Am Up for Europe 	The Association 	The Association 	1969
Goodbye Forever 	The Association 	The Association 	1969
Funny Kind of Song 	The Association 	Stop Your Motor 	1971
One 	The Chapta 	 	1971
Midnight Wind 	The Association 	Waterbeds in Trinidad! 	1972
Kicking the Gong Around 	The Association 	Waterbeds in Trinidad! 	1972
Rainbows Bent 	The Association 	Waterbeds in Trinidad! 	1972
Please Don't Go ('Round the Bend)	The Association 	Waterbeds in Trinidad! 	1972
Worried About You 	The Dillards 	 	1973
Caney Creek 	Rodney Dillard 	 	1985
Would You Like To Go 	The Ballroom 	 	1998
==Soundtracks==
Title 	For the Film 	As a member of 	Year
Goodbye, Columbus	Goodbye, Columbus	The Association	1969
UFO: Target Earth	UFO: Target Earth	 	1974
Category:1943 births
Category:People from Chattanooga, Tennessee
Category:American people
Category:American musicians
Category:Songwriters
Category:Music arrangers