A recording of Jones When the Curtain Falls played over the loudspeaker, as pallbearers moved his casket from its perch in front of the Opry stage hed performed on countless times and out of the auditorium. YOU WILL BE MISSED! They used the memorial as a salve; saying goodbye in person is a step in easing the transition to life without a voice that changed the sound of country music. He performed numerous times on that stage as a member of the Opry. "You must be thinking, 'Boy, they're making a ruckus','' Paisley said. 3:25. 2:30. After years of battling alcohol and drug abuse, he finally turned around his life after a near-fatal 1999 auto accident. Known for hits like "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes," "White Lightning" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today," which Alan Jackson used to close the memorial, Jones had No. Barbara Mandrell remembered the kindnesses he gave a scared 13-year-old girl just getting her start in the business. 2023 Getty Images. Wynonna Judd sang How Great Thou Art at the 1998 funeral of Jones' ex-wife Tammy Wynette, with Jones sitting in . It started. Wilson concluded his message by quoting John 14, ending with a prayer. Gill recalled touring in his early years with Jones and Conway Twitty and having to perform with Jones opening, and Twitty closing. Nashville radio personality Keith Bilbrey spoke next, followed by Tennessee Gov. George Jones In Memoriam (1931-2013) When country music legend George Jones passed away on April 26, 2013 at the age of 81, he left behind a rich musical legacy that has rarely been equaled . The funeral was broadcast live on cable music television channels CMT and GAC and in a nod to simpler times when Jones was at his biggest on all local television networks. But nobody ever came close to doing it like the man himself. Added Face the Nation moderator Bob Schieffer, Everybody wanted to sing like George Jones., Keith Richards: George Jones Was Pure American Music. But the speakers also remembered a great performer who was loved by his fans. The singer talked about how difficult it can be to be married to a performer, and performed an original song called The Best Of Me.. Jones gave Gill his Sweet Pea nickname, and Loveless had covered many Jones records over the years including her first top ten single, If My Heart Had Windows, from 1988 which featured Gill on harmony. Prior to his death, he was in the middle of a farewell tour that was to reach its conclusion in November in Nashville. The speeches didn't skip over Jones' troubles, the times when he'd missed shows and struggled with alcohol and drugs. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. The funeral lasted for over two and a half hours a fitting send off to one of musics most legendary figures. Above: Jones poses for a portrait circa 1975. "When I heard him do this song, it literally gave me chills," Travis said. STORY: George Jones, King of Broken Hearts, Remembered, Kid Rock might have been an unlikely participant in the ceremony, but the singer about an incident where Jones had asked him to write a song for him one that he never finished. Go buy his records and see what all this ruckus is about because it's worth it.". The late country singer's life was remembered and celebrated today at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, with numerous. Jones passed away on April 26, 2013 at the age of 81. In the darkest days of his career, he earned a reputation as No-Show Jones for missing concerts. Kid Rock started writing a song for Jones but never finished it and never played it for him. May 2, 2013: Country Music star George Jones (1931-2013) was laid to rest on Thursday, May 2, 2013 at Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. . Randy Travis, who was anointed a traditional country voice by Jones, sang "Amazing Grace," a song Jones had once put his own personal stamp upon. Friends, family and industry supporters including Brenda Lee, Steve Wariner, Trace Adkins and Sony Music Nashville chairman & CEO Gary Overton waited up to three hours to pay their last respects. We want to hear it. "Unshaven, long-haired confused country hip-hop rock `n' roller trying to sing George Jones.". Randy Travis sings "Amazing Grace" at George Jones' funeral Hallelujah, she said. George Jones honored at beautiful funeral It seemed that every person at the funeral had a story to tell about George and despite the fact that he sang so many sad songs, it was the funnier . He wasnt just singing to Nancy, Mattea noted. Alan Jackson - "He Stopped Loving Her Today" at George Jones' Funeral | Opry. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. Read about our approach to external linking. "He was more than a country singer, he was a country song," said Face the Nation moderator Bob Schieffer, one of eight speakers at the funeral. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric', The people who want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake. Jones peers, his imitators and the country music diehards who waited in line to get a seat at the Opry House will have a difficult time getting over the loss of Jones. Paisley encouraged younger generations who may have been tuning in to the service on the radio to seek out Jones records and see what all this ruckus was about, before solemnly performing the Tom T. Hall-penned chestnut Me & Jesus.And Kid Rock, whod recently befriended Jones, sang a newly-written song called Best of Me, which sounded like countrified acoustic Foo Fighters. It was star studded with many performances:- Kid Rock- Alan Jackson sings \"He Stopped Loving Her Today\"- Brad Paisley- Charlie Daniels- Wynonna Judd- Randy Travis- Tanya Tucker- The Oak Ridge Boys- Travis Tritt- Vince Gill and Patty Loveless- Kenny Chesney- Ronnie Milsap- Speech by Barbara Mandrell- Eulogy by Laura BushGeorge Jones was buried Thursday afternoon at Woodlawn Cemetery near Thompson Lane (Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum) in Nashville, Tennessee.REST IN PEACE, POSSUM! Singer Brad Paisley gave a tribute to Jones, hailing him as a musician whose legacy would live on and inspire others. What a joy that memory is to me, she said. The Beaumont,. We give so much of our self to the people, to the fans, to the crowds and to the business that sometimes when you come home, it can be a little empty there because you don't have so much left to give. NEWS: George Jones' funeral open to the public. He knew about heartbreak, he knew about disappointment, he knew about betrayal, said CBS newsman Bob Schieffer. All Rights Reserved. Trending. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, . Judd also recalled that her first concert ever was Jones and Merle Haggard, and also praisedhis hair. And when Jones' time came, they placed not just a wreath but a gargantuan spray of white flowers upon his copper casket at the May 2 celebration of his life at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House. Jones almost turned down his signature hit. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. DeSantis won't say he's running. Editors picks Kathy Mattea, a two-time winner of the Country Music Associations Female Vocalist of the Year award, marveled at Jacksons ability to pull off such a difficult song under unique circumstances, and at his ability to connect the song to every person in the house. That should come as no surprise. NASHVILLE, Tenn. For a guy who sang so many sad songs, George Jones left behind a lot of laughs. 2013 The Associated Press. . The Grammy-winning singer died on 26 April, after being admitted to hospital for fever and irregular blood pressure. Nobody made music like a man from East Texas like George Jones, she told the crowd to applause. Travis Tritt recalled during the service howshocking it had been for Jones, who was on a crash course with death at theheight of his self-abuse, to outlive Wynette. But no matter what we got of George Jones, [his wife Nancy] got the best of him. "George Jones' voice was a rowdy Saturday night uproar at a back-street beer joint, the heartbroken wail of the one who wakes up to find the other side of the bed empty, the far-off lonesome whistle of the midnight train, the look in the eyes of a young bride as that ring is placed on her finger, the memories of a half-asleep old man dreaming about the good old days," Daniels said. Daniels also told a story about longtime producer Billy Sherrill saying that Jones was the only singer who could make a five-syllable word.out of church. He then grabbed his guitar, and offered a simple yet moving version of Softly And Tenderly., Travis Tritt one of many stars who appeared on Jones 1992 hit I Dont Need Your Rockin Chair was next, performing Kris Kristoffersons Why Me, Lord, which Jones also recorded. However, amid ongoing health concerns, he postponed two performances a fortnight ago and was admitted to hospital with a fever and irregular blood pressure shortly after. Collect, curate and comment on your files. There was more humor than sadness at Jones' funeral Thursday at the Grand Ole Opry House as thousands gathered in Nashville some arriving hours before sunrise to pay their respects to the man whose voice has defined country music for more than half a century. Wynonna Judd remembered his perfect hair and his friendship. We talked throughout the years, and no matter how you knew him.life didnt stop for George on Friday. He was singing to everybody.. The Opry House provided a fitting location for Jones service. A public funeral will be held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville for country music superstar George Jones, who died Friday at the age of 81. He once drove a mile and a half to a liquor store on a riding lawn mower. He sang for us all, the non-stop partiers, the guys who are alone and the girl done wrong, the puppy lovers, the extrovert, the introvert and the guy at the end of the bar who never seems to go home George had a song for everybody.". Schieffer, First Lady Laura Bush, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee eulogized Jones at the public service, which drew a thousands-strong crowd of country music fans, many of whom commuted from out of state, lining up as early as yesterday to attend. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Nancy Jones) She came to see him one last time at the memorial, still treasuring a photo shetook with Jones and his wife at their home, where Wallace visited for more than two hours. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Before performing an original tune titled "Best of Me," Kid Rock said, "Quite frankly, I know how difficult it can be to be with one of us. Tirez parti du rseau mondial GettyImages, avec plus de 340 000 crateurs, pour dvelopper un contenu exclusif, cr spcialement pour votre marque. "We've had few sounds more lovely than the voice of George Jones," said former First Lady Laura Bush at the service. The first was Randy Travis, who relayed a story to the crowd about a concert date where Jones persuaded Travis to close for him. Jones, who has . For most artists, that would spell a quick end to their time in the limelight. Fans will be able to say goodbye to George Jones. "I would encourage you if you don't know him, go find him now. The drinking got so bad they took away his car keys, Schieffer noted. He was 81. At the time, many listeners associated its mournful storyline morbid, as Jones called it more than once with his six-year marriage to Tammy Wynette, which ended in 1975. 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