Eric Jones was born and raised in Pontarddulais, and was educated at the Boys Grammar School in Gowerton, before gaining his degree from the University of Wales Cardiff, followed by a research degree from the Open University. He began his teaching career in Llanelli, before becoming Head of Music and Creative Arts in Mynyddbach School, Swansea.After a spell as Deputy Head at Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr (Swansea), he became Headteacher at Ysgol Bro Myrddin (Carmarthen) in 1997, retiring in 2006.
He is a fellow of Trinity Music College in London, and he was invested into the Gorsedd with the white robe in 2010 for his long and distinguished service to the Gorsedd and the Eisteddfod.He regularly judges singing and composing competitions at the National Eisteddfod.
In 2007, Gwasg Gomer published Maestro, his biography of the founder of Pontarddulais Male Voice Choir, Noel Davies. As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2010, he wrote about the history of the choir, under the title Brothers Sing On, published by Y Lolfa. He became President of Pontarddulais Male Voice Choir in 2004 after serving as accompanist for the choir for 18 years between 1973 and 1991.
As a composer, he published seven volumes of songs as well as a significant number of choral pieces and augmented church music, as well as music for the theatre.He received a number of commissions from a wide range of choirs and other bodies in Wales and beyond, and his music is frequently chosen as test pieces in national competitions and recorded and broadcast on radio and tv.
In 2018, he received an honorary Doctorate (DLitt) from Swansea University for his contribution to education and music in Wales. His volume on the musician David Vaughan Thomas was published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch in 2023.