George Jones

Posted on Apr 26, 2013

I was in Nashville, freshly married and freshly signed to CBS record in 1988…Billy Sherrill had been informed to check me out on Nashville Now- a show then that aired on The Nashville Network, where I got my start…
I wound up in Billy’s office the very next day- with a promise from him that he would produce my first record, and “how do you feel about recording a song with George Jones”… I would have recorded with anybody- but one mention of the “Possum”and my head spun around… “Ok” I said… 3 or 4 days later I was standing at the mic with none other than GJ, the “Possum” himself… It was a Paul Overstreet/ Dean Dillon song, George liked it- I liked it- so we cut it—right there standing face to face singing country songs- like we do… I was too young and green to be intimidated or scared… I just sang… we sang together- and my career was off- because I was wrapped up in love by these loving people who took in a wild, singing child…
Nancy and George took me as one of their own young’uns… I ate Nancy’s red beans and rice with my feet under their table- letting them to love me- take care of me- nurture me… George said, “come on out on the road with Conway and Me—you can sing a few songs with the Jones Boys during my set”… I sang Heartbreak hotel…my record wasn’t even out yet… I had no songs of my own … Here I was so young and innocent- sitting backstage at catering with George and Conway…
Holy Moly Y’all…

 

 

 

 

 

Today we think about that voice that shook rafters and gave us chills when he “drawled it on out there” so our senses could be taken to a place where hurting is ok… and George Jones is our teacher when he moans heartbreak through those words and the music is the salve we need today to heal our empty place… Imagine the welcoming of that voice into heaven’s choir… RIP George—You are always the world’s voice of Country Music… and forever mine…