Music-industry icon Quincy Jones, in Dallas to give a speech at SMU tonight at 8, may have a bone to pick with Wikipedia. According to the free online encyclopedia, the mother of the legendary impresario is a descendant of one Mary Belle Lanier, the daughter of a man, James Balance Lanier, who was the first cousin of the maternal grandfather of GOP presidential candidate John McCain. (Got all that?) Now, since Jones was born in Chicago–the stomping grounds of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama–and, in July 2007, publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton, I was curious which candidate he’s supporting for president. “I’m Obama. I wouldn’t go for McCain,” Jones said last night during a cocktail reception given in his honor at the Crescent Club. But, what about that distant relationship to McCain? “Bull****!” he snapped, irritated by the suggestion. “They’ll say anything to get you to vote for McCain.” Jones’ talk for the Tate Distinguished Lecture Series at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium is sold out.
