The sassy "American Idol" star was to arrive from Houston on Friday. As expected, she sang the national anthem for last night's Detroit Tigers-New York Mets game at Comerica Park
But today is her big day. There will be a teaser appearance at 11:30 a.m. at Patsy Lou Buick GMC in Flint Township.
Then the woman local fans dubbed "Flint's Rose" and the city she left nearly seven years ago will get reacquainted for about three hours starting at 5 p.m. at Atwood Stadium.
Today's rally is, in essence, the one originally planned for May 11 had Jones made it to the Top 3 on "Idol."
That was the week she was voted off, finishing fourth overall, so her Michigan reception was pushed back to a day that fit her busy post-"Idol" schedule.
There will be presentations, speeches, performances and a couple of songs from the guest of honor, who still sounds surprised by the support from the struggling Midwestern factory town where she was born and raised.
"I'm so honored and really happy at the response I got from Flint and the state of Michigan," Jones, 27, said recently from Houston, where she was the guest of honor of a similar celebration on May 30.
The Flint Central High School grad and former University of Michigan-Flint student indicated in previous interviews that she'll probably settle in the Texas city, or Los Angeles, once her "Idol" commitments are over and she can take her blossoming career to the next level.
Jones, who has been singing in church since age 5, moved to Houston to pursue her dream of a music career.
She was warmly embraced by the city's massive Abundant Life Cathedral Church, with its 7,000 members, award-winning choirs, record label and a reputation for turning out gospel stars (Yolanda Adams among them). Houston was where her 4-year-old daughter, Brionne, was born.
But Jones admits she wasn't sure how she would be received last week, especially since she left Houston last July for a bank teller's job in suburban Baltimore.
"I was actually shocked. I wasn't sure how Houston was going to respond to me. I hadn't been here in a year," she said.
"But I knew that my church here, Abundant Life, I knew they were supporting me with a rally every week, but I wasn't sure how the city as a whole would respond. But since I've been here people are stopping me and congratulating me."
Of course, she didn't expect the kind of support she got in her hometown either, where Flint City Hall and the Palm Tree Lounge hosted weekly viewing parties, radio DJs talked her up on the air and The Journal offered extensive coverage.
"My mom would call me all the time and tell me what was going on (and say things like), 'They've got a billboard of you on Dort Highway,'" Jones said, referring to her mother, Beverly Jefferson, who looked after Brionne while Jones was in Hollywood.
She may have been an unknown when she left Flint, but she quickly became a source of hope and inspiration for folks here and returned, albeit briefly, to a hero's welcome May 27 at Bishop Airport, where more than 200 fans cheered her on.
Her mom said it was one for the books.
"It was a new experience. She hadn't been here in a while, especially since she had moved away," Jefferson said. "She can come back and know they love her like she's never been gone."
That's a big reason why she's coming back.
Jones said she wants to let the city and area where she grew up to know that she appreciates everything the hometown has done for its home girl.
"I'm coming back and spending the whole day with the city and thanking them for voting for me and supporting me and encouraging me," Jones said.
But it will be a short homecoming.
Jones travels to Lansing on Monday. Gov. Jennifer Granholm will speak at a noon celebration on the Capitol steps organized by State Rep. Brenda Clack.
She'll also do some telephone interviews to promote the upcoming "American Idols Live" tour, on which she will participate with this year's "Idol" winner, Jordin Sparks, and the rest of the Top 10 finalists, including the ever-popular, oft-maligned Sanjaya Malakar.
The tour runs July 6-Sept. 22 and includes one Michigan stop, an Aug. 12 performance at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Jones leaves for rehearsals in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
"We'll do some classics from the show, some new numbers with the boys and girls from the Top 10," she said, "and you'll see some duets performed by some of your favorite contestants."
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