Jones Dopoe

Jones Dopoe was born in December 1936, in Duanpay Town, Nimba County.^[1] His father had multiple wives and his mother was the second one. Dopoe was the second born of five boys ans six girls.^[1] He attained his primary education at Bahn Elementary and later graduated from Sanniquellie Central High.^[1] He played with Sierra Leonean musician S. E. Rogie, who was known for the hit song "My Lovely Elizabeth".^[2] Dopoe attended the University of Liberia, where he earned a degree in English.^[1] During the 2011 Liberian general election, Dopoe encouraged Liberians to vote on national problems rather than focus on ethnicity.^[3] He taught at the African Methodist Episcopal University, University of Liberia, and Cuttington University.^[1] In a 2023 interview with The New Dawn newspaper, Dopoe claimed that former president George Weah is his biological son.^[2] He previously denied being Weah's father while speaking to a local radio station on October 20, 2020.^[4] Dopoe made traditional folklore music and was known for the hit tracks "Sweet, Sweet Cassava Leaf", "Mama, I Want to Go to School", and "If You Marry".^[1] Predominantly satirical in nature, his music addressed social, political, and economic issues affecting Liberia.^[1] Dopoe was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 Liberia Music Awards.^[5]

According to Dopoe's daughter Benetta Dopoe, he had roughly 26 children, including four from a Ghanaian woman.^[2][1] In November 2023, Dopoe died of stroke while seeking treatment at a medical facility in Saclepea.^[1] Prior to his death, his family urged the Liberian government and public for financial assistance so that he could seek medical care.^[6][7]

Compilation albums

• Bilo Lolo (with J. Giron, John Dueh, Morris Dorley, Sonny Boy Hallowanger, and Afro Super 7) (1975)
• The Sound of Liberia (with Morris Dorley, Yatta Zoe, J. Giron, and Sonny Boy Hallowanger) (1977)

• List of Liberian musicians