George Jones Is Still Going Strong: The 9513’s Exclusive Interview

by Juli Thanki

A few short decades ago, George Jones built up quite a reputation for missing concert dates and appearances. Things have changed: “No Show Jones” called me five minutes early for our interview. Well, actually it was his wife, Nancy, who really seems to run the show, as she handed over the phone with a cheerful “Here’s the Possum!”

JULI THANKI: You’ve just celebrated a birthday. Do you have a favorite birthday memory?

GEORGE JONES: The one that my wife let me off, I guess. (Laughing). The last few years I’ve been working on my birthday. A lot of the new artists have helped me celebrate the last couple birthdays by doing a salute at the Ryman. They’d sing my songs and I’d be in the audience and before the show was over I’d do a couple songs myself. They’ve honored me that way the past couple years and I thought that was awful nice of ‘em. It was a pleasure to hear somebody else sing my songs.

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