I
think that I've mentioned this before, but I was never really a big
fan of country music. In fact, I think I am the only one in my
entire family who doesn't go out of their way to listen to it. My
parents always had it turned on in their car radio, and my
grandparents listened to nothing but country music, but I much
preferred rock, pop, and Top 40.
(Well,
Top 40 prior to the 2000s, anyway.)
I
know that back in September 2012, I attempted to do some features on
country music artists. I devoted the whole month of Sunday Jukebox
entries to the sweethearts of country music. If I remember
correctly, I did spotlights on The Dixie Chicks, Dolly Parton,
Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, and Reba McEntire.
Well,
today, I've decided to do my blog entry on someone who many might
consider to have been the grandfather of country music. He was a
real legend in his own right, releasing fourteen number one hits on
the country chart, received several awards, and released a whopping
sixty albums during his near sixty year career.
Sadly,
on April 26, 2013, the country music genre lost its biggest presence,
as George Jones entered into rest at the age of 81.
This
blog entry is going to be a challenge for me to write because
obviously I don't listen to much country music. So, having to write
an entry on someone who was such a huge figure in a genre I rarely
listened to is tough. But, what can I say? I love a challenge, and
it wouldn't be much of a pop culture themed blog if I didn't report
on current events, now would it?
I've
debated on how to present this blog for a day and a half now, and I
think the best way to do this is to give a brief bio, followed by
some notable events that he was involved in. Believe me, there is
definitely no shortage.
George
Glenn Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas on September 12, 1931. He
was one of seven children, born to George Washington Jones and Clara
Patterson Jones. At the age of seven, he heard country music for the
first time and fell in love with it. He received the gift of a
guitar two years later, and began making extra money busking on
street corners with a guitar and a song for anyone who wanted to hear
him.
By
the time he was sixteen, George relocated to Jasper, Texas, where in
addition to singing and playing for a local radio station, he had a
chance encounter with Hank Williams in 1949, where Jones claimed that
Williams had given him some sage advice.
“Stop
singing like Roy Acuff, and start singing as yourself!”
(Well,
all right, perhaps I shouldn't have quoted that as it isn't what
Williams actually told Jones...but I'd hazard a guess that it was
presented in a similar fashion.)
By
19, he had gotten married briefly to a woman named Dorothy Bonvillion
and fathered a child with her before divorcing her before the child's
birth. A year later, he enlisted in the United States Marines during
the early beginnings of the Korean War, having been stationed in
California during his three year stint.
And
in 1954, George Jones began pursuing a career in country music,
having signed a record deal with Starday Records. He released his
first hit in 1954, the very same year he married his second wife,
Shirley Corley. One year later, he enjoyed his very first charting
single on the country music charts with “Why Baby Why”. That
single peaked at #4, but it certainly wasn't the only hit he
had...nor would it be the last we would hear from him.
In
fact, over the course of his 81 years on this planet, there have been
a lot of stories, a lot of rumours, and I have decided to take the
opportunity to clarify some of these stories. If anything, he has
lived a rather interesting life.
In
fact, why don't I do this next part like a true/false quiz? I'll do
a statement, and reveal whether it is true or false. Are you ready?
Here we go!
01
- George Jones was once married to another country music superstar.
ANSWER:
True. Tammy Wynette was Jones' third wife. The couple tied the
knot in 1969, and divorced in 1975. Funnily enough, Wynette released
“Stand By Your Man” in 1968, a year before marrying Jones.
02
– George Jones was married a grand total of three times.
ANSWER:
False. George actually had four wives. The fourth Mrs. George
Jones is Nancy Sepulvado. The couple celebrated their thirtieth
wedding anniversary just one month ago, in March 2013.
03
– George Jones was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1998.
ANSWER:
False. Although George DID get the honour, it wasn't until a decade
later, in 2008.
04
– One of the last awards that George Jones won was a Lifetime
Achievement Award.
ANSWER:
True. George Jones was honoured with the award at the 2012 Grammy
Awards ceremony, presented to him by his long-time friend Merle
Haggard.
05
– George Jones had at least two nicknames when he was in his prime.
ANSWER:
True. He was affectionately known as “The Possum” due to his
facial features kind of resembling a possum. He was also given the
nickname of “No-Show Jones”, and unfortunately, that nickname was
given to him under less than flattering circumstances. He was dubbed
that following his failure to show up for concert gigs due to being
under the influence of drugs and alcohol. And, this kind of leads to
the next statement...
06
– George Jones was once so determined to get alcohol one day that
he decided to drive to the liquor store on a ride-on lawn mower.
ANSWER:
Believe it or not, this was one hundred per cent true! This would
be around the time that George was married to his second wife. By
that time, his addiction to alcohol had been firmly established, and
his wife hid all the keys to every car to prevent him from driving to
the liquor store. Of course, she neglected to hide the key to the
lawn mower, and a determined George took the lawn mower to the liquor
store EIGHT MILES AWAY!
07
– George Jones was in the middle of his farewell tour when he
passed away.
ANSWER:
Sadly, this was also true. In fact, I do believe that he was
scheduled to perform in Watertown, New York (which isn't too far away
from where I live) later this summer. The tour was announced in the
summer of 2012, and would have lasted until November 2013, in which
Jones would retire to spend time with his family.
But
as we all know, that sadly didn't pan out. On the eighteenth of
April, Jones was hospitalized in Nashville, Tennessee with abnormal
blood pressure and a high fever. Eight days later, he was dead of
acute hypoxia, with the world not realizing that his farewell tour
would be his last ever.
So,
to close this tribute to George Jones off...one of his biggest hits.
ARTIST:
George Jones
SONG:
She Thinks I Still Care
ALBUM:
The New Favorites From George Jones
DATE
RELEASED: Spring 1962
PEAK
POSITION ON THE COUNTRY/WESTERN CHARTS:
#1
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