"Rickie Lee Jones" was released in March 1979 and became a hit, buoyed by the success of the jazz-flavored single "Chuck E.'s in Love", which hit  4 on the "Billboard" Hot 100, and featured an accompanying music video. The album, which included guest appearances by Dr. John, Randy Newman, and Michael McDonald, went to No. 3 on the "Billboard" 200 and produced another top 40 hit with "Young Blood" (No. 40) in late 1979. Her appearance – as an unknown (one month after her debut record had been released) – on "Saturday Night Live" on April 7, 1979, sparked an overnight sensation. She performed "Chuck E.'s in Love" and "Coolsville". Jones was covered by "Time" magazine on her very first professional show, in Boston, and they dubbed her "The Duchess of Coolsville". Touring after the album's release, she played Carnegie Hall on July 22, 1979. Members of her group included native New York guitarist Buzz Feiten, who was featured on the album and would appear in her recorded works for over a decade.