Country Music Legend George Jones Dies at 81
“Me and the bottle have always been friends, we’ve had a few old nasty fights but the bottle would always win. So when I go to answer that final curtain call, I can hear these words being whispered by all… Ol’ George stopped drinking today.” — George Jones
George Jones, aka, The Possum, has died at age 81.
While in the midst of his 60-date farewell tour, Jones was hospitalized for running a slight fever and for having irregular blood pressure, canceling shows in both Atlanta, and Salem, VA. His next show was to be tomorrow, April 27th, in Huntsville, AL. George had been suffering from breathing problems for the last few years. A family member told TMZ, “”He has been on oxygen for a long while now and his lungs finally just couldn’t do it anymore and they collapsed and he passed away. He couldn’t breathe anymore on his own.”
The official cause of death has been named ‘Hypoxic Respiratory Failure.’
George died this morning at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee where he’d been hospitalized on April 18th. He is survived by four children and his wife of 30 years, Nancy. Jones was married a total of 4 times, including to fellow country music legend Tammy Wynette from 1969 to 1975.
George Jones was born in Saratoga, TX, and went on to record more than 150 country albums and have 14 #1 country hits. Dubbed “The Possum” by some for his marsupial look, and “No Show Jones” by others for a well-documented period of alcohol and drug abuse, George had one of the smoothest voices to ever grace country music. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992, had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1956, and was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor in 2008.
Read Country Star’s Reactions to the Death of George Jones
Quotes About George Jones
“If we all could sound like we wanted to, we’d all sound like George Jones,” — Waylon Jennings
“The second best singer in America” — Frank Sinatra
“The greatest voice to ever sing country music.” — Garth Brooks
“You can’t define the ache that’s in George’s voice. It’s just something inherently him. It doesn’t need definition. It doesn’t need clarification. It doesn’t need a lot of things. You just sit back and appreciate it. It’s just greatness.” — Vince Gill
“Anyone who knows or cares anything about real country music will agree that George Jones is the voice of it.” — Dolly Parton
“George Jones is a national treasure and should be treated accordingly. A unique style so often emulated even inadvertently.” — Keith Richards
Quotes From George Jones
“What they need to do really, I think, is find their own title,” — George Jones when asked about Taylor Swift and other young stars
“I’d rather sing a sad song than eat,” — George Jones
“There are questions I’m still not wise enough to answer, just wise enough to no longer ask.” — George Jones
“Be real about what you do. Stay true to the voice inside you. Don’t let the “business” change what it is you love because the people, the fans, respond to what is heartfelt. They can always tell when a singer is faking it.” — George Jones
“Country fans need to support country music by buying albums and concert tickets for traditional artists or the music will just fade away. And that would be really sad.” — George Jones
“Our steak and martinis is draft beer with weenies.” — George Jones
“Country music to me is heartfelt music that speaks to the common man. It is about real life stories with rather simple melodies that the average person can follow. Country music should speak directly and simply about the highs and lows of life. Something that anyone can relate to.” — George Jones
“Me and the bottle have always been friends, we’ve had a few old nasty fights but the bottle would always win. So when I go to answer that final curtain call, I can hear these words being whispered by all… Ol’ George stopped drinking today.” — George Jones
April 26, 2013 @ 7:53 am
Rest in Peace, Possum.
April 26, 2013 @ 7:55 am
R.I.P George. You will be missed.
April 26, 2013 @ 8:02 am
Sad day in country music. No one will ever fill his shoes the same as he did. RIP Possum
April 26, 2013 @ 8:02 am
Rest in peace George.
Your voice will be missed.
April 26, 2013 @ 8:03 am
R.I.P. George, you will forever be missed
April 26, 2013 @ 8:09 am
No one will ever come close to having a voice like his. Horribly sad day.
R.I.P. Mr. George Glenn Jones
April 26, 2013 @ 8:17 am
RIP to one of the greatest voices in music.
April 26, 2013 @ 8:27 am
Long time reader of this site, but first time poster. Saddest day for country music in a long time…No more Possum…best voice ever in my opinion…
Only Willie, Merle, Kris, and Don Williams left it seems like…sad, sad day…
Looks like tonight I will be “drinking some George Jones, and a little bit of Coe”
RIP George – Gone but not Forgotten
April 26, 2013 @ 8:33 am
Sad, sad news. He was simply the best, ever.
April 26, 2013 @ 8:33 am
The all-time greatest.
April 26, 2013 @ 8:39 am
I sing from my heart, I love country music and I love the people that respond to it. You never see yourself as others do but I’ve always beeen proud to be part of country music and I hope that the format is proud of me.
–GEORGE JONES
April 26, 2013 @ 8:44 am
I went searching for a powerful quote I remembered reading by the late, great Solomon Burke on the topic of George Jones. Found this article from around the time ofthe Kennedy Center Honors in 2008. Many great quotes in it.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postrock/2008/12/kennedy_center_honors_singing.html
Rest in peace, Mr. George Jones.
April 26, 2013 @ 8:48 am
Some great quotes there Jack, thanks!
April 26, 2013 @ 8:55 am
As Waylon said, “When George Jones sings a song, that song’s been sung.”
April 26, 2013 @ 9:00 am
God Bless George Jones! RIP George. There will be nothing better because once we had the best and the best country singer that ever lived was George Jones. Thankful I got to see him preform when he was still at his best vocally. Cherished memories.
April 26, 2013 @ 9:02 am
Incredibly sad news. I’ll be listening to George all day today. I hope someone places a wreath upon his door.
April 26, 2013 @ 9:08 am
R.I.P. George. 🙁
April 26, 2013 @ 9:12 am
R.I.P. Went out doing something he loved. We all should be so lucky.
April 26, 2013 @ 9:24 am
R.I.P. Mr. George Jones.
April 26, 2013 @ 9:24 am
I didn’t know I was going to spend all day crying. He was my dad’s favorite singer. RIP.
April 26, 2013 @ 9:47 am
RIP in George. I saw him 16 times in concert and he sang his heart out every time. The greatest singer ever.
April 26, 2013 @ 9:57 am
Can’t remember the last time I shed a tear at the news of a celebrity death if ever. But today, while listening to ‘Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes’ a tear’s been shed. I’ll be drinking tonight. RIP, George.
April 26, 2013 @ 11:11 am
Mine was when Johnny passed. I sobbed pretty bad. I am pretty sad today. Mr. Jones was pretty rad.
April 26, 2013 @ 10:03 am
Gutted : ( He’s been my favorite singer (along with Loretta) for 23 years, my entire life. I owe him for my (GREAT) taste in music, for years of not falling prey to the crap my friends listened to, as well as NEVER buying into the atrocity that’s passed for Country Music for the last 20 years. “Once You’ve Had The Best”……The first song I can EVER remembering hearing was White Lightin’ in my Pap’s truck. And I was “singing” along. I knew his voice was gone, but was praying he’d come to my area because I had to say goodbye. Was so happy when it was announced in February he was coming. Even got a ticket for my gram for her birthday next month (he was her favorite before he was mine), After he went in the hospital I kept a page I could constantly refresh on my phone to see how he was doing/when he got out. I cannot express how much I loved this man, but I’ve not felt this bad since I lost my Pappy 7 years ago. A huge piece of my heart died this morning. I think George stopped loving Tammy today : (
April 26, 2013 @ 10:07 am
RIP George !! From a Belgium fan -Willie
April 26, 2013 @ 10:15 am
“Elvis said, Find’em Young and Fred said, Old Fashioned Girls are fun. Yabba Dabba Doo the King is gone and so are you”
One of my favorite George Jones songs. RIP Possum. We’ll see ya up yonder.
April 26, 2013 @ 10:35 am
Who Is Gonna Fill Your Shoes?
Thank you for the Wonderful Music & Memories George Jones
You Will Live On In Many Hearts
April 26, 2013 @ 10:53 am
There are few people I don’t who who’s death stirs emotion similar to what I’ve felt for those passed I did know. This happened today
April 26, 2013 @ 11:30 am
My favorite Country singer(along with strait). ” Possum”, you will be dearly missed. May your awesome voice join whitley,godsin etc in heaven!
April 26, 2013 @ 11:53 am
R.I.P. Jones. “I’ve aged twenty years in five” – the best song which described the cold, hard thruth about life.
April 26, 2013 @ 12:32 pm
He was a singer’s singer. May he RIP There will never be another one like him.
April 26, 2013 @ 12:40 pm
I had the good fortune to be in the same room with Mr. Jones when I was an 18 year old kid in Lakeland , Florida . I was a busboy at the Red Lobster on the banks of Lake Parker . I had just finished cleaning off a table , and was on my way back to the kitchen when I noticed a familiar figure having a drink at the bar and cheerfully chatting with the bartender .
You would think he would have been mobbed with admirers , but it was quite the opposite . Everyone else gave him his space . I didn’t approach him either because at the time Tesla and Iron Maiden was the only music in the world to me , but I knew damn well who he was because of the countless long road trips Mr. Jones accompanied my grandparents and us kids on . It was an honor nonetheless .
Let’s all prepare ourselves for the disingenous , and sickening lament that sure to start pouring out of Trashville for Mr. Jones and remember back to when he was treated so poorly at the CMAs .
April 26, 2013 @ 1:24 pm
well jones is now with tammy, and the country music industry, will now call george jones the greatest country singer alive, give his last album, tons of awards, get blake shelton, jason aldean, and luke bryan, to say how jones was such an influence on their music, which is complete bull crap, and give him the greatest tribute ever!! and just like johnny cash, waylon jennings,
George jones should have been getting all this respect while he was alive, but no, Nashville never respects it’s legends while they are alive, now just wait for dolly parton, merle haggard, willie nelson, bobby bare, kris kristopherson, loretta lynn, they don’t get the respect they deserve, just wait until they die, then Nashville show’em how much you care…
George Jones was so right, whose gonna fill their shoes, so far, from rascal flats, taylor swift, jason aldean, luke bryan, blake shelton, and the rest of Nashville’s so called heavy weights, looks like those shoes are gonna be empty for a long time…
as far as americacna, and roots music goes, there is hope for some of those fine artists but once again country music is losing part of it’s heritage, so long george, country music will miss you….. the FANS, NOT THE INDUSTRY. just to make that clear.
April 26, 2013 @ 2:26 pm
I found out about this today while at work. I think I was the only one under 30 who didn’t ask who George Jones was. It’s sad that such a legendary country singer isn’t more well known. RIP
April 26, 2013 @ 2:34 pm
Just heard the news on the radio. I knew this was coming sooner or later but its still a shock. RIP George Jones.
April 27, 2013 @ 2:23 pm
Interesting that you heard it on the radio. I was just noticing that I HADN’T heard it, and I had the radio on ‘country’ stations at least 2 hours. I heard it here first–fitting.
I have played ‘He stopped…’ at least a hundred times in cover bands over the years. I will make sure to play it at least one more time.
Raising the bottle to George. Rest in peace.
April 26, 2013 @ 3:29 pm
While this isn’t a country song by George it is a duet with George and Vestal Goodman. it is a stellar performance and fitting song for today. I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdYwRsevX_U
February 13, 2023 @ 11:44 pm
It is now 2023 and I have just discovered George Jones. I thank you for posting this link. It was beautiful singing.
April 26, 2013 @ 5:35 pm
Yabba dabba doo, the possum is gone. R.I.P. George
April 26, 2013 @ 7:28 pm
A legend has passed and country will miss him.
April 27, 2013 @ 2:04 am
Hey Trig,
I went to see Daniel Romano and Caitlin Rose play tonight in Austin, and they did kind of a tribute to George Jones. Daniel Romano sang a few Jones songs, then Caitlin came on stage and they sang “If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me” together. It was really great, you would have liked it.
Maybe I’ll see you at the next good country show in Austin?
April 27, 2013 @ 8:56 am
I feel like I have been stabbed in the heart that I missed that show. I swear I thought it was on the 29th. And now I probably won’t get a chance to see either of those folks for about a year. Screw me.
April 27, 2013 @ 8:58 am
A sad day for real country music. RIP
April 28, 2013 @ 12:52 pm
My Grampa had Hank Williams and George Jones, for me it was Vern Gosdin… now they’re all gone and truly who will fill their shoes?
I saw Mr. Jones for the first time in 1993 in an outdoor venue right outside the large arena where Alabama was playing that night. The next time I saw him was in Bossier City, Louisiana at The Horseshoe Casino… I saw right between grandparents and tears streaming down my face as Mr. Jones sang A Picture of Me Without You. When my Grampa died a few years later, they wouldn’t let me play that song because it was just too hard on everyone, but to me that song was their song. I saw an ailing Mr. Jones back in October or November in Arlington, Texas and again just a month ago in Greenville, Texas. It was obvious he was having a hard time and if anyone has listened to any recent recordings, they knew he struggled to breathe, but there he was giving everyone a last chance to see one the true heroes of country music and hoping to make a big show in Nashville this later this year. There were plans for more collaborations, duets, etc… but it just wasn’t meant to be.
For all the hoopla and nation-wide coverage over Blake Shelton’s gaffe with Old Farts & Jackasses, the best the mainstream media could muster was some ill-prepared obituaries and attempts at putting together bits and pieces of his biography, showing in my mind a total lack of respect by rushing half-assed tributes in the name of being the first to break the news George Jones has died.
After so many of the greats have gone, one has to ask who is left? Seriously, who is going to fill their shoes? This is one of those times when there should just be silence, especially from some who just don’t get it.
April 28, 2013 @ 9:52 pm
The man was a legend, a world-class talent, and deserved every accolade he got and more. (“Choices” would be an example of more, God Bless Alan Jackson for being one of the few to show George the respect he deserved when still alive.)
On top of that, the man did the one thing most of today’s “country” singers can’t even dream of.
The man sang from the heart instead of the vocal chords.
April 29, 2013 @ 9:24 am
Has anyone ever hear of “Thumper Jones” George before he became the legend he was. He wanted to be a rockabilly star and recorded under the name Thumper Jones.
In later years he wanted to for get this part of his career He only recorded two songs under this name.
Here is a video on you tube of “Thumper”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MQX0ZiDkoM