The Unfinished Song: Brian Jones, Linda Lawrence, and the Son He Never Knew

Brian Jones’ relationship with Linda Lawrence was one of the few stable anchors in his turbulent life—until it wasn’t. Linda, a model and aspiring singer, met Jones in 1963. She became his steady partner during the early Rolling Stones years and gave birth to his son, Julian Brian Jones, in October 1964. But Jones, already deep into drugs and womanizing, never fully settled. He referred to Julian as “the boy who bears my name” in his will, yet saw him only sporadically.

The relationship ended bitterly around 1965, largely due to Jones’ chronic infidelity and worsening paranoia. Linda later said she realized she couldn’t “save” him. She left, eventually marrying Donovan—who wrote “Jennifer Juniper” for her. Jones died in 1969, and Julian grew up virtually fatherless, only learning the full story of his biological father in adulthood. Linda went on to become a voice of quiet compassion about Jones, refusing to vilify him, but the gap between them just widened until there was nothing left.