Who is J-Bone from Suttree and what is their importance?

J-Bone is Suttree's most reliable friend in McAnally Flats. They are close, and J-Bone is the person Suttree calls to help him get out of jail and whenever he truly needs help. J-Bone is one of the more responsible people in McAnally Flats. His wife takes care of Suttree when he comes back from the woods, almost starved to death. J-Bone eventually goes to Cleveland to work at a real job on an assembly line. J-Bone is the one who tells Suttree that his little son has died