Country Music Legend George Jones Dies At 81



NASHVILLE, Tenn. — George Jones, the peerless, hard-living country singer who recorded dozens of hits about good times and regrets and peaked with the heartbreaking classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today," has died. He was 81.

Publicist Kirt Webster says Jones died Friday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being hospitalized with fever and irregular blood pressure.

Known for his clenched, precise baritone, Jones had No. 1 songs in five separate decades, 1950s to 1990s, and was idolized not just by fellow country singers, but by Frank Sinatra, Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello, James Taylor and countless others.

In a career that lasted more than 50 years, "Possum" recorded more than 150 albums and became the champion and symbol of traditional country music, a well-lined link to his hero, Hank Williams.

A favorite Jones tune, raising a question that now includes him as well.

Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes
George Jones - Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes? - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi3GgoLtlWk)

Dad was a huge George Jones fan so I grew up listening to him. My tastes were different, but his music brings back good memories. RIP
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RIP....
He broke the mold.
Back when country music was actually country music.

I hope he fails to show at his funeral...


They call me No Show Jones.
I'm seldom never on
The stage singin' my songs
My whereabouts are unknown.
They call me No Show Jones.

All Things Considered . . .
I think this was my favorite George Jones song.
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(perhaps it is the fusion of the Nashville Sound with a touch of the Bakersfield Sound and performed live.)

One of my all time favorites. He's 1,000 times better than any current "country star"

One of my all time favorites. He's 1,000 times better than any current "country star"

Agreed 100%...
Current country music is nothing more then pop fluff with a fiddle solo thrown to seem credible.
And i blame garth brooks and shania twain.

Agreed 100%...
Current country music is nothing more then pop fluff with a fiddle solo thrown to seem credible.
And i blame garth brooks and shania twain.

I love Garth but by the mid to late 90's country started to suck big time. Now artists wear plastic cowboy hats, dragon shirts, and sound like garbage (i.e. Trace Adkins).

I'd rather listen to Hank, Waylon, Merle, Alabama, Restless Heart, Steve Wariner, Earl Thomas Conley, Ronnie Milsap, Gary Morris, Dwight Yoakam, Buck Owens, and of course the one and only George Jones.

If this song wasn't about George Jones (and others) he could have done a darn good cover of it.
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In fact . . . It sounds like Mr Strait and Alan J. listened to a LOT of George Jones LPs and singles . . .

(ps to Sonny C: Steve Wariner . . . I am amazed that anyone else knows that name. =)

I'm a huge Steve Wariner fans. Also a fan of Clint Black, Travis Tritt, John Conlee, Kathy Matea, Forrester Sisters, Webb Pierce etc. You know REAL Country music.

George Jones has a tune called "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" and not one of the current crappy artists can or ever will.

I guess I'm the odd one here. I love country music today AND back in the day.
Let's not canonize George Jones, just yet, though. Today's stars are at least showing up for their own shows and giving back to the fans in big ways.
Today's stars also are careful to show respect to those they grew up listening to, as well. Eric Church sings about Springsteen, Hank and Hank, Jr. (even with a song called: "A Whole Lotta Boot To Fill"). Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan often throw out props to George Jones in their music. Jason Aldean just released a single paying homage to Joe Diffee. You could say they're just trying to tie into a good line, but their income says they don't need to.
I haven't lost sight of the fact that it's a business, but they're putting out good music -- if not the stuff you are hearing on the radio, then at least the stuff on their albums that's not making it to the airwaves. There was some crap on the radios back then, too, but it didn't have the staying power that some of the stuff you're remembering fondly today. I'm confident that we will look back on some of today's hits very fondly and happily forget the drivel.
I think the current artists are doing just fine and I doubt that what is played on the radio is entirely the way they envisioned their music sounding. Some of it (and the acts) are horribly produced and seem contrived but, again, that's nothing new.

While I get your point, from my own perspective ... of the several folks you named, if they all switched off their mics or laid down their pens tonight, Shelton is the only one I'd actually miss from that particular group of names.