George Jones

George Jones, born in East Texas, started his career singing songs on the local radio station. In 1950, his first of four marriages lasted less than a year.  His wife claimed he had a violent temper and was addicted to alcohol… and thus began both a tempestuous life of alcohol, drugs, and busted relationships combined with a music career of unparalleled success. He would eventually score ten #1 singles and 69 top tens. After a stint in the Marines, George began his singing career in earnest. He wrote many of his own songs, drawing on his life experiences.  In 1959 he scored his first #1 hit (written by J. P. Richardson, better known as “The Big Bopper”) 

Mighty, mighty pleasin’, my pappy’s corn squeezin’ woooo, white lightnin’ 

A milestone in George’s life was his marriage to Tammy Wynette.  Already a success in her own right, they began touring together, singing and recording beautiful duets.

We’re gonna hold on, we’re gonna hold on . . . we’re gonna hold on to each other

Golden ring . . . golden ring

It’s just a cold metallic thing . . . Only love can make a golden wedding ring 

While married, George began drinking heavily.With a chuckle, Tammy related the story of when she went out and left George at home.She hid the keys to the other car so he wouldn’t drive the six miles down the road to the local tavern.When she got back, the car was still there, but George was gone… and so was the riding lawn mower.

America Songwriters quotes an old cliche saying that country music is mostly comprised of three chords and the truth (and the truth always seems to be sad). George Jones’ signature song in 1980 captured all that and more. In his autobiography Jones told how, after recording the song, he turned to the producer, Billy Sherrill, and quipped, “Nobody will buy that morbid son of bitch.”

However, he changed his tune after it became a massive hit.In 1980 it won the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal, the Academy of Country Music award for both Single and Song of the Year, and the CMA’s Song of the Year.Rolling Stone picked it as fourth in the top 100 country songs of all time.Some call it the best country song ever. 

He stopped loving her today . . . they placed a wreath upon his door

And soon they’ll carry him away . . . he stopped loving her today

Jones picked up the nickname Possum, when a DJ referred to him as George P. Willicker Picklepuss Possum Jones, which eventually was shortened to just Possum. But others called him “The Roll Royce of Country Music.” By the turn of the century, George Jones was often referred to as the greatest living country artist. However, after his divorce from Tammy Wynette he eventually became lost in a swirling fog of alcohol and cocaine. George Jones missed so many appearances, he earned a new moniker, “No Show Jones.”  

George eventually got clean and back on track, making up many of the concerts he had missed for no charge.In 2012, he announced his Farewell Tour with stops in sixty cities.But with much sadness, it was George Jones’ final “no show.”He died before finishing the tour on the twenty-sixth of April, 2013 at the age of 81.