Country Musics favorite Uncle, GEORGE JONES would have been 83 today. It is rather interesting to realize for the very first time that Johnny Cashs favorite Country Artist was born on the same day of the month that Johnny cashed in his chips. This Texas Son, was a real life legend. Jones name is simultaneous with country music, Waylon even said, If We Could All Sound Like We Want To, Wed All Sound Like George! George Glenn Jones was born on September 12, 1931 in Saratoga, Texas, and was raised in Vidor, Texas, with his brother and five sisters. His father, George Washington Jones, worked in a shipyard and played harmonica and guitar while his mother, Clara, played piano in the Pentecostal Church on Sundays. His father bought him his first guitar at age nine and he learned his first chords and songs at church and there are several photographs of a young George busking on the streets of Beaumont. Jones enlisted in the United States Marine Corps until his discharge in 1953. The Korean War was underway, and he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He was stationed in San Jose, California for his entire service. His first record, the self-penned No Money in This Deal, appeared in February 1954 on Starday Records and began the singers association with producer and mentor H.W. Pappy Dailey. The song was actually cut in Jack Starnes living room (Starnes formed Starday Records with Daily). Jones also worked at KRTM in Beaumont around this time. Deejay Gordon Baxter told Nick Tosches that Jones acquired the nickname possum while working there: One of the deejays there, Slim Watts, took to calling him George P. Willicker Picklepuss Possum Jones. For one thing, he cut his hair short, like a possums belly. He had a possums nose and stupid eyes, like a possum. During his early recording sessions, Daily admonished Jones for attempting to sound too much like his heroes Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell. Jones first hit came with Why Baby Why in 1955. That same year, while touring as a cast member of the Louisiana Hayride, Jones met and played shows with Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. I didnt get to know him that well, Jones said of Presley to Nick Tosches in 1994. He stayed pretty much with his friends around him in his dressing room. Nobody seemed to get around him much any length of time to talk to him. Jones would, however, remain lifelong friends with Johnny Cash. Jones was invited to sing at the Grand Ole Opry in 1956. Jones moved to Mercury in 1957. In 1959, he had his first number one on the Billboard country chart with White Lightnin, ironically a more authentic rock and roll sound than his half-hearted rockabilly cuts. In the Same Ole Me retrospective, Johnny Cash insisted, George Jones woulda been a really hot rockabilly artist if hed approached it from that angle. Well, he was, really, but never got the credit for it. White Lightnin was written by J.P. Richardson, better known as the Big Bopper. Jones became aware of Tammy Wynette because their tours were booked by the same agency and their paths sometimes crossed after Wynettes first minor hit Apartment #9 in 1966, the two became friends but eventually Jones took more than a passing fancy to Wynette, who was eleven years his junior and the couple married in 1969. Jones and Wynette became known as Mr. & Mrs. Country Music in the early 70s, scoring several big hits, including Were Gonna Hold On, Lets Build A World Together, Golden Ring, Near You and (Were Not) The Jet Set. In October 1970, the couple were blessed with the birth of their only child Tamala Georgette Jones. The couple divorced in 1976 but continued playing shows and drawing crowds in the years after their divorce, as fans began to see their songs mirroring their stormy relationship. In 1980, they recorded the album Together Again and scored a hit with Two Story House. Jones also spoke publicly about his hopes for a reconciliation and would jokingly reference Tammy in some of his songs - during performances of his 1981 hit If Drinkin Dont Kill Me (Her Memory Will) he would sing Tammys memory will - but the recrimination continued unabated. After years of sniping, Jones and Wynette appeared to make peace in the 1990s, recording a final album, One, and even touring together again before Wynettes death in 1998. Part of Jones appeal as a live performer was his ability to get a song across; unlike some other country singers of the day, who might smile or wink as they sang a tearjerker, Jones would look authentically depressed during the performance, casting his eyes down to the floor or smiling sadly when the lyric called for it. By the time 1980 rolled around, George had not had a number one single in six years and many critics began to write him off. However, Jones stunned the music industry in April when He Stopped Loving Her Today was released and shot to number one on the country charts, remaining there for 18 weeks. The song was written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putnam and tells the story of a friend who has never given up on his love; he keeps old letters and photos from back in the day and hangs on to hope that she would come back again. The song reaches its peak in the chorus, revealing that he indeed stopped loving her when he passed away. The woman does return - for his funeral. In a lesser singers hands, the song might have sounded corny or even comical but Jones interpretation, buoyed by his brilliant delivery of the line ...first time Id seen him smile in years, gives it a mournful, gripping realism. When it began being played on the radio in the spring of 1980 just about everyone who heard it was floored. It is consistently voted as the greatest country song of all time, along with Im So Lonesome I Could Cry by Hank Williams and Crazy by Patsy Cline. In 1981, Jones met Nancy Sepulvada, a 34 year old divorcée from Mansfield, Louisiana. Sepulvadas positive impact on Jones life and career cannot be overestimated; she eventually cleaned up his finances, kept him away from his drug dealers (who reportedly kidnapped her daughter in retaliation), and managed his career. Jones always gave her complete credit for saving his life. Nancy, who did not drink, explained to Nick Tosches in 1994, He was drinking but he was fun to be around. It wasnt love at first sight or anything like that. But I saw what a good person he was, deep down, and I couldnt help caring about him. While Jones remained committed to pure country, he worked with the top producers and musicians of the day and the quality of his work remained high. Some significant performances include I Must Have Done Something Bad, Wild Irish Rose, Billy B. Bad (a sarcastic jab at country music establishment trendsetters), A Thousand Times A Day, When The Last Curtain Falls and the novelty High-Tech Redneck. Jones most popular song in his later years was Choices, the first single from his 1999 album Cold Hard Truth. Although written by Mike Curtis, Billy Yates and Rob Lyons and recorded first by Yates on his 1997 self-titled album, the song was a perfect fit for Jones, who lived every word of it. A video was also made for the song and Jones won another Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. The song was at the center of controversy when the Country Music Association invited Jones to perform it on the awards show, but required that he perform an abridged version. Jones refused and did not attend the show. Alan Jackson was disappointed with the associations decision and halfway through his own performance during the show he signaled to his band and played part of Jones song in protest. On March 6, 1999, Jones was involved in an accident when he crashed his sport utility vehicle near his home. He was rushed to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was released two weeks later. In May of that year, Jones pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges related to the accident. The crash was a significant turning point, as he explained to Billboard in 2006: ...when I had that wreck I made up my mind, it put the fear of God in me. No more smoking, no more drinking. I didnt have to have no help, I made up my mind to quit. I dont crave it. The fact that Jones survived the accident - the 67 year old singer suffered a punctured lung and lacerations to his liver - renewed his spiritual faith and he went on to release The Gospel Collection in 2003, which Billy Sherrill came out of retirement to produce. He appeared at a televised Johnny Cash Memorial Concert in 2003, singing Big River with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. In 2008, Jones received the Kennedy Center Honor along with Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who, Barbara Streisand, Morgan Freeman and Twyla Twerp. President George W. Bush disclosed that he had many of Jones songs on his iPod. Jones also served as judge in 2008 for the 8th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists careers. and Rolling Stone named him number 43 in their 100 Greatest Singers of All Time issue. An album titled Hits I Missed And One I Didnt, in which he covered hits he had passed on as well as a remake of his own He Stopped Loving Her Today, would be released as his final studio album. In 2012, Jones received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. On August 14, 2012, Jones announced his farewell tour, the Grand Tour, with scheduled stops at 60 cities. Jones was scheduled to perform his final concert at the Bridgestone Arena on November 22, 2013. However, on April 18, 2013, Jones was hospitalized for a slight fever and irregular blood pressure. George went to meet his Lord and Savior in the early morning hours of April 26, 2013, aged 81, from hypoxic respiratory failure at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Former first lady Laura Bush was among those eulogizing Jones at his funeral on May 2, 2013. Other speakers were Tennessee governor Bill Haslam, news personality Bob Schieffer, and country singers Barbara Mandrell and Kenny Chesney. Alan Jackson, Kid Rock, Ronnie Milsap, Randy Travis, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Travis Tritt, the Oak Ridge Boys, Charlie Daniels, Wynonna and Brad Paisley provided musical tributes. Jones death made headlines all over the world; many country stations abandoned their playlists and played his songs throughout the day. The week after Joness death, He Stopped Loving Her Today re-entered the hot country songs at number 21. Happy Birthday Possum, you are loved by so many, and I wonder who will, but dont believe anyone will ever Fill Your Shoes. You were one man Id have love to met, but someday not only will I meet you, Ill sing with you while standing by your side. Im have no doubts that we wont be singing, Im Still The.......
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 17:05:25 +0000
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