George Jones & Tammy Wynette Series to Begin Filming
The limited series George & Tammy about the life and marriage of country legends Tammy Wynette and George Jones is ready to begin filming in Wilmington, North Carolina. Starring Jessica Chastain as Tammy, and Michael Shannon as George, it’s based off of the 2013 book The Three of Us: Growing Up with Tammy and George written by the couple’s only child, performer Georgette Jones.
George & Tammy began pre-production in Wilmington in April, but went on hiatus after only a couple of weeks. They re-opened their offices in September when it was announced that Michael Shannon would be assuming the role as George Jones after the original actor Josh Brolin had to back out due to a scheduling conflict. Brolin is still connected to the film as an executive producer. According to film permits, the series will be shooting on December 8.
One of the locations to be used in the filming is the Carolinian Inn Motel on Market Street in Wilmington where scenes both inside and outside of the hotel will be shot. The production is also looking for locals to play extras in a restaurant scene on December 14th. So if you think you can play a cook, waitress, or restaurant patron from the time period, you could perhaps appear in the series.
George Jones and Tammy Wynette were married for six years between 1969 and 1975, but had a professional country music duet career for much longer. The relationship was both passionate and tempestuous, and will certainly make for quality drama, so much so that the creators decided to extend the project into a multi-part series from the original idea of a feature film.
David Hutkin and Bob Yari of 101 Studios are also executive producers for the series with Josh Brolin. 101 is the same studio that is producing Paramount’s successful series Yellowstone. Abe Sylvia, who is best known for producing the popular Netflix series “Dead to Me” and Showtime series “Nurse Jackie,” is the creator and writer of the series. T Bone Burnett is handling the music.
“So happy to finally meet Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon,” Georgette Jones said on Wednesday, November 17th. “I am 100% sure they will do an amazing job portraying my parents in the George and Tammy streaming series. They have made every effort to be true to the real story and I’m confident they will make us very proud. A big thank you to Abe Sylvia (writer) and the legendary T Bone Burnett for all their hard work on this project, too. I am thrilled my parent’s story will be out for the world to see next year.”
Spectrum Originals will air the series exclusively for nine months, and then it will be available later on Paramount and ViacomCBS for streaming. There is no official release date just yet.
November 20, 2021 @ 12:16 pm
Wow.
I feel tears wellin’ up from deep inside . . .
November 20, 2021 @ 2:05 pm
Cocaine and Rhinestones if you want some real truth
November 20, 2021 @ 6:01 pm
As opposed to the daughter of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, who wrote her book based on the first-hand accounts of what she saw and lived with her parents?
We’ll have to see how accurate they were with the story once this series is released. But the idea that Coe can assemble better recollections than someone who lived them—which I have great confidence Coe will tell you he can—speaks to his hubris.
By the way, I have not heard the recent episodes of Coe’s podcast. But I have multiple open threads in my inbox with folks that have been reaching out, fit to be tied by Coe’s characterizations of certain people and events in recent episodes.
November 21, 2021 @ 1:06 am
It’s worth a listen for sure, I know y’all got some kind of weird beef with him about him being a dick, but still… worth a listen.
November 21, 2021 @ 6:43 am
As one of those “fit” people, who have reached out – I’d just ask those who listen to Coe’s podcasts – not to mistake the many single-sourced & one-sided stories he’s sharing – for the facts about an artist’s life.
Coe’s portrait of Tammy Wynette is especially nasty & harsh – flat out calling her a “liar who lies” seems to ignore how most entertainers use a creative “narrative” about their lives – histories – whatever – in a constantly pressured effort to attract & maintain an audience. These “lies” that are shared may not be 100% accurate – but they are still close enough to the truth to be embraced by the public as fact, without too much worry over exposure and they do the job of keeping an artist relevant in the public eye, after the singles have stopped going to #1.
Coe seems to personally offended over the notion of Wynette’s perhaps self-serving manipulations of facts keeping her “hot” – but – I believe – that Coe’s Podcasts – are that – and more.
He’s basically a hypocrite, spinning his own idea of truth – much like Wynette – he’s trying to keep and maintain an audience for his product and the cash coming in the bank, by own distortion of fact.
November 21, 2021 @ 12:12 pm
I just don’t trust people who spend all day on twitter.
November 22, 2021 @ 11:09 am
Trigger, I love you, but first hand accounts are consistently less accurate and less reliable than a well-researched historical view assembled by someone using the first-hand accounts of a broad spectrum of observers.
This is not to overly defend Coe, who I think is entertaining, intelligent, witty, and a bit of an a-hole, but to heartily reject the idea that first-person accounts are more reliable than research.
November 22, 2021 @ 11:53 am
Kevin,
Let me just try to back out a little bit here, and look more globally at what’s going on. We’ve all been frustrated over the years that there seems to be a lack of cool country biopics for legendary artists, including George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, and others. I’ve been reporting on this particular project since 2015. It is so rare these projects come to fruition, even after they’re green lit. This film project opened offices in North Carolina in April, and then had to shut down once again. We finally got confirmation that they’re actually filming, and I wanted to share that news with the public.
And what happens? In this comments section, and on social media, it gets dive bombed by folks saying it won’t be as good as Cocaine and Rhinestones, it won’t be as accurate as Cocaine and Rhinestones, Tyler Coe better sign off on it, etc. etc. All I’m doing is saying, “Hey, Tammy and George’s DAUGHTER is the one where this info is coming from.” Does that mean it’s going to be 100% accurate, or in any way entertaining? No. But I think that given the circumstances and the people involved, we shouldn’t start running this film project down or putting it through litmus tests before they’ve even started shooting it.
Furthermore, this is the exact kind of cynicism Tyler Mahan Coe has been sowing against anyone he deems competition. Meanwhile, I’ve had numerous folks reach out to me to assert that what Tyler Mahan Coe has been saying in the most recent episodes specifically about the relationship between Tammy and George includes inaccuracies and embellishments. I don’t know that to be true. I will look into it. But the fact that folks are trying to discredit the couple’s only daughter as a source speaks to the kind of “total war” aspect Tyler Coe’s assholedry is sowing.
Now apparently, Coe is fine with this project, and that is good. And his listeners should heed that. Me reporting that a film project depicting a couple of country legends should not instigate this level of conflict. We should all be happy, and hope the best for it.
November 22, 2021 @ 12:07 pm
Fair enough, and I’m not too much part of the whole history here, nor do I agree with people attacking the project or saying they need to be filtered by Coe.
My only point was that you said that it’s hubris to take a researched view over that of first hand accounts, which is a commonly held misconception.
For history, scholarly research trumps direct observation. I am not claiming Coe is a scholar, but his approach is one pursuing a level of historicity that is not shown by a pure memoir or autobiographical approach.
Obviously Coe is not perfect, and he’s telling a story and promoting a narrative, like anyone else. Malcolm Gladwell, who inspired C&R through his inaccuracy, also pursues a semi-scholarly approach to his research, and we know how off-base he often is. I was only saying that first-hand accounts are not inherently more reliable than research, but tend in fact to be less so.
November 20, 2021 @ 2:43 pm
Lots of quality people on this one. I’m eager to see it.
November 20, 2021 @ 2:52 pm
I too am excited to finally see this come out, with some real muscle behind it making it! The only downside is it’ll make the already insufferable Tyler Coe moreso, and I can already see the flood of uncited “ackshually” tweets from him on arcane points, like how there should be a bullfighting painting in a scene, to buttress his own personal relevance.
November 20, 2021 @ 3:04 pm
Is George Jones actually dead or is he playing possum?
November 20, 2021 @ 5:45 pm
Ok, heres the thing. I LOVE me some Jones. He is THE voice in all of Country music. Number 1 with a bullet. ( yes i will pontificate about how Johnny Paycheck influenced his singing for the better.) But, man, Jones is IT! It took me some years to reach that conclusion, but im there. Heres the thing, HE WAS A WALKING WRECK!! And the George/Tammy saga is sooo depressing, because he just destroyed it all with stupidity. So for me its a real dichotomy, the greatest country singer of all time was so jacked on Coke and booze that he was borderline schizo, with his multiple personalities, and he drove away the love of his life, one Tammy Wynette. So, although the story is so crazy you couldnt script it crazier, its a bummer to me.
Im glad Georgette is aboard though, its making me feel a little better about it.
November 20, 2021 @ 6:02 pm
Not gonna be better than Tyler’s.
November 20, 2021 @ 6:34 pm
See, Tyler toadies already coming in and trying to make this competition. Because as soon as Coe decides to tackle a subject, nobody else is allowed to, and everything else must be challenged, and labeled inferior.
Why can’t we just be happy with the renewed interest in George and Tammy, spanning multiple mediums?
November 21, 2021 @ 5:41 am
Okay. Fair enough. I won’t talk in absolute terms. It will have to be damn good to be in the same ball park as C&R. How’s that? Anyone should make anything they want. The bar is set pretty high though. Is that okay to say? Can we say that?
November 21, 2021 @ 1:48 pm
You can say whatever you want. I provide a comments section so people can do that very thing, and specifically so they can disagree with me. I’m just lamenting the fact that we’ve got this cool series on the way, and the prevailing discussion about it has been how much it will suck compared to Cocaine and Rhinestones. That’s because Tyler Mahan Coe has conditioned his listeners to think along those self-serving terms as opposed to being part of a community of country fans who want to see the legacy of country greats preserved across mediums.
November 21, 2021 @ 2:51 pm
Maybe it’s not about how he conditions his audience. Maybe he just made something good. I can have two things in my head at once. 1 being that it’s obvious he can be an ass. 2 being that he has made something truly good.
I can separate art from artist.
November 21, 2021 @ 3:00 pm
Far from a Tyler toadie. I’ve been posting on this site for well over a decade.
Sure TMC has come off like an asshole at times online, but his coverage of the Jones story has topped all to this point. I’ve read 4 books on Jones, and nothing comes close to this level of detail in one platform. For those pissed about the coverage of Wynette, a lie is a lie. She lied often.
Before and after the split, Tammy was busy chasing fame and trying to get her side of the story out immediately, while especially after the split Jones was just busy drunk or fucked up. Tammy’s story eventually took hold with most because by the time Jones was actually straight, majority of his recollections were completely shot.
Maybe this series and others will care to cover with accuracy, but most Wynette focused pieces have been lies to this point.
If were putting this story on a kid who was 3-4 years old while parents were together over 4 decades ago, then raised by her mother, who was proven to be a notorious liar as the likely main influencer of this child’s beliefs on this situation, then that’s something we must consider.
Time will tell if we’re right or wrong
November 21, 2021 @ 4:16 pm
Truth5,
Wasn’t calling you a Tyler Mahan Coe toadie specifically. All I’m saying is that I find it curious that so many Coe fans felt the need to dive bomb this article here and on social media, downgrading something that hasn’t even been filmed yet. I’ve been reporting on this project since May of 2015. So often these film projects get scuttled for one reason or another. I was happy to see confirmation it is finally filming, and wanted to share that. That’s all this article was.
Maybe this series will suck. Maybe it will be completely inaccurate. I really have no idea. What I do know is that undercutting it before it’s even filmed, or questioning how good it will be is the very type of cynical and undercutting environment Tyler Mahan Coe is trying to sow around anything and everything he in any way sees as competition to him or is getting in the way of him being deemed the arbiter of everything country music.
How about we celebrate both projects, and the fact that the history country country music, and the contributors of these important artists is still being talked about?
My only point.
November 21, 2021 @ 6:38 pm
Trigger,
I still believe, and firmly so, that the world would be a slightly better place if David had just blasted Tyler all over his mother’s belly.
November 22, 2021 @ 11:04 am
Understood Trig, that’s fair.
Tyler Mahan Coe also did clarify that he supported this project.
I’m with you, hopefully both projects are as accurate as possible without extreme bias and end up wildly successful and give Jones music a platform for others to hear the greatest voice country music will ever know.
November 20, 2021 @ 6:05 pm
The absolute best Country voices of all time, Tammy and George were the real deal. I am so very excited to see this series. I was fortunate enough to meet Tammy on several occasions…
Gracious, bright and down to earth, she embodied Country elegance and sophistication. I saw Tammy and George in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1980 on their reunion tour. Amazing talent and spectacular showmanship, they were the greatest!
November 20, 2021 @ 6:59 pm
My two favorite people. I seen there last concert together in Tulsa Oklahoma almost 20 years ago. I bought a T-shirt with both of them on it as ONE. I’ve never whore it still like bran new. I will always cherish it. Can’t wait to see this movie. So excited miss you Goerge/ Tammy.
November 21, 2021 @ 10:17 am
Wynette died in 1998.
November 21, 2021 @ 4:46 pm
“I’ve never whore it still like bran new.”
Yikes. Don’t be whoring out shirts, or doing anything with bran that involves clothing. 😉
November 21, 2021 @ 12:00 pm
You just have to remember that it’s real, which George was as he didn’t give a rat’s behind about showing out when he was buzzed.And way past buzzed. Yeah, you could discuss George and Tammy’s marriage in Psych 101, as most of the people who loved George ended up in a psychological office, or certainly should have!! But who doesn’t love the beautiful, talented Tammy and tortured George?? I loved each and oh man, sure loved to listen to them together.
Legends. Just saying….
November 21, 2021 @ 5:05 pm
Can’t wait to see the series please keep me updated when it airs!!
September 18, 2022 @ 10:15 am
Most everyone knows that George Jones and Tammy Wynette were a mess it’s historically documented everywhere what I wonder is why is it that Don Chapelle Tammy‘s second husband is made out to be a monster when all he did was try to help her and why was his family not contacted to get accurate accounts of him and what happened in the life when they were together I know for a fact that there are family members out there that were present when things happened in Don and Tammy‘s marriage so should they be contacted before people start writing stories about them and never asking them without an accurate historical account. What does Georgette Jones know about the marriage of Don to Tammy when she was not even born yet? Don Chapel‘s children lived with them and I know for sure his daughter Donna was her back up singer singing all the harmony on her first number one hits and toured with them so would it be appropriate to approach her and ask her what happened? Don Chapel and their entire family had a huge history in country music and he was a fantastic songwriter writing many number one hit songs so I don’t think he should be disparaged when nobody has actually even researched or tried to find out the truth about him and what actually happened.
September 18, 2022 @ 10:17 am
Sorry For the typo it’s a Don Chapel not Chapelle