Fans and non-fans alike are familiar with George Jones, one of the best country music
performers of all time, first for his singing and then for his struggle with drugs and alcohol.
After much effort, he emerged from the cave of his illnesses, but it was too little, too
late.
Join FactsVerse as we delve into the difficulties of the legendary country music icon.
Timeline of drug abuse and career lapses Whether you're a weekend enthusiast or a dedicated
follower of vintage country music, you must at least be somewhat aware of the ongoing
struggles George Jones endured with addiction to alcohol and drugs over the majority of
his career.
In 1967, George Jones checked into a neurological hospital for treatment of his alcohol and
amphetamine addiction.
It was around this period, when he was still married to Shirley Ann Corley, that the first
lawnmower incident occurred.
When his wife, Tammy Wynette, gave birth to the couple's only child, Georgette, in October
of 1970, George had to be straight-jacketed and taken to the Watson Clinic in Lakeland,
Florida, where he spent ten days detoxing in a padded cell.
After some time, the sedative Librium was provided to him in order to help balance him
out.
And these were only the early, less severe episodes in George Jones's long history of
battling his demons.
In actuality, his professional career was booming at the time, and the psychotic episodes
were only detours on the road to his Hall of Fame history.
Though he had yet to reach his commercial peak, he was still battling alcohol and drug
addiction, both of which would lead to two international drug smugglers appearing before
a federal magistrate with a box of his unreleased George Jones master tapes to serve as security
for a bond.
Throughout the early 1980s, George Jones enjoyed a string of top-ten songs, including 1981's
"Still Doin' Time" and 1983's "I Always Get Lucky With You."
His song "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)" peaked at number eight on the charts
and would go on to become one of the singer's most recognizable songs.
George Jones was topping the charts with "Tennessee Whiskey" about the same time that heroin traffickers
David Snoddy and Donald Gilbreth were arguing before Magistrate Judge Ronald Fonseca that
a box of George Jones tapes was worthy collateral.
Even though George Jones' career was at an all-time high in 1982, the singer himself
was suffering at a low point in his life.
This was despite the fact that his music was more popular than it had ever been.
In early 1982, George Jones got into serious conflict with the law for the first time when
he was arrested in Mississippi on charges of DUI and cocaine possession.
Then, on March 29, 1982, George Jones was driving home to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, when
he crashed his car.
He was taken to a hospital in Birmingham, where he received treatment for alcoholism
and drug abuse.
But shortly after his release, The Possum relapsed, leading to what was arguably the
wildest event of his career and garnering widespread media attention.
On Tuesday, May 25, 1982, en route from Nashville to Brentwood on Interstate 65, George Jones
was spotted by a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper weaving erratically between lanes.
Jones, who did not appear to be actively dodging arrest or even caring that Officer Tommy Campsey
was attempting to pull him over, continued driving down the highway.
Jones did eventually pull over, and when the officer approached the vehicle, they discovered
a bottle of whiskey that had been consumed only halfway.
In addition, Jones's car lacked a valid registration plate.
Rather than an actual license plate, he had a piece of cardboard with the words "Possum
#3" written on it affixed to the front of his vehicle.
Furthermore, a camera team from a local news station was passing by just as Jones was pulled
over and detained at around 7:00 p.m. Due to the fact that they were aware of the country
superstar's presence, the camera team decided to halt and record the event.
Jones was unmoved by the accusation and insisted that he was not inebriated.
He then attempted to kick the cameraman in the groin.
Following his arrest, Jones was transported to the Williamson County Jail in Franklin,
where he was subsequently placed under a bond of $500, and "Possum #3" was seized.
In the early morning hours of March 6, 1999, George Jones was a passenger in a car that
was involved in an accident not far from his residence in Franklin, Tennessee.
When his SUV collided with a bridge, he was thrown from the vehicle and sustained severe
injuries, including a punctured lung, a lacerated liver, and an internal hemorrhage.
Jones was hospitalized for a total of 13 days.
George Jones initially told authorities that he was conversing on his cell phone at the
time of the incident, but they later discovered an open bottle of vodka inside the car.
In a subsequent press appearance, Jones admitted guilt for driving under the influence and
an open container violation.
It had been 18 years since Nancy Jones, George Jones's then-wife, had made meaningful progress
in getting him sober.
However, he would inevitably fall back into his old habits each time.
Finally, however, following his injury in 1999, George Jones vowed never to drink or
smoke again, and he kept that promise until he died in 2013.
How he earned the nickname No Show Jones Not only did George have the unfortunate reputation
of being called "The Possum," but he was also known as "No Show Jones."
Jones' well-documented propensity to miss performances owing to his drug and alcohol
use inspired the moniker.
In 1979, George Jones missed 54 scheduled appearances, primarily due to the same alcoholic
conduct that caused his significant others to hide the keys and lock him in the house.
Insiders in Nashville speculate that Jones' career survived his drug and alcohol abuse
because fans could relate to his imperfect persona.
Michael McCall, an employee of the Country Music Hall of Fame, claims that Jones' adoring
public sympathized with him since they saw him fight addiction and internal conflict.
It wasn't that he blasted profanity at them from the platform or that they pegged him
as an arrogant person.
Booking agent from the 1980s, Joe Taylor, wholeheartedly agrees with McCall on Jones.
She said that the supporters stuck by him even when things were going badly for him.
Because of their deep affection for him, others were quick to say sorry on his behalf and
offer up explanations.
Hence, there is no doubt that the support of his devoted audience also played a role
in his recovery and subsequent return to performing.
Shelia Shipley-Biddy, who was the vice president of promotion at MCA Nashville when George
was signed, said that his fans were a big part of why he kept putting out successful
music despite his problems.
She further added that when he was at the height of his career and was 'No Show Jones,'
the music was still in the groove, and his songs resonated with listeners, which helped
him win their forgiveness.
According to superstar and friend Brad Paisley, Jones' sense of humor and modesty were on
full display in the song "No Show Jones," which he often used to start his concerts
later in his career.
He was the best at making jokes about himself, and he was adored for it.
How he influenced the culture of country music Some stories of George Jones are amusing,
others are tragic, but they are all a part of the history of country music.
When the native Texan subsequently relocated to Nashville, he began to experience success
in his career.
His fame exploded when he adopted the Nashville sound in the early 1960s.
Afterward, he harbored ambitions of starting his own club.
He also understood that having a club would enhance his professional standing.
In particular, he desired a location bearing his name or anywhere around his name.
So, Jones established "Possum Holler" on Nashville's well-known lower Broadway Street in 1967.
The location was ideal—it was across from Ernest Tubb's record store, close to Tootsie's.
On the other side of the alley was the Ryman Auditorium, which served as the Grand Ole
Opry's original home.
The old room, which was on the top floor of an ancient building and had a lofty ceiling,
hardly ever had a scarcity of talent.
Almost everyone in the city who was someone ended up hanging out at the club, including
visitors to the Saturday night Opry.
After finishing their performances, musicians and their bands would move to Possum Holler
and end their performances.
Roy Acuff was one of the most admired and frequent guests in Possum Holler.
He was the only man in the community whom his peers addressed as "Mr.," demonstrating
the esteem in which he was held.
Roy Acuff Exhibits, his museum, was located on the level below Possum Holler, and he also
owned the building.
Naturally, despite everyone's best efforts, the Holler's bathroom one fateful day overflowed
and let water into Acuff's museum.
One of his exhibits was damaged by it.
Since the issue was beyond repair, Acuff was forced to make the difficult decision to shut
down Possum Holler.
Possum Holler, however, did not come to an end.
In fact, Jones opened a second after getting married to Tammy Wynette and experiencing
his greatest professional success in the early 1970s.
This time, "George Jones' Possum Holler" was in Printers Alley.
It was well-known in the early 1940s as the place where everyone in the news and print
industry would congregate after work.
And although it continued to draw a large number of regulars, it didn't quite have the
same atmosphere as the original.
Although it bore his name, Jones did not own it.
It was owned by his manager Shug Baggot.
Baggot operated it in a very different manner from the original, and it lacked the attraction
of an "artist hangout.".
Despite the fact that Baggot and Jones shared many pleasant moments, Baggot was also the
one who led Jones down the most negative path.
Baggot gave Jones cocaine to startle him out of his inebriated stupor before a performance.
It was the start of Jones' career's most difficult period.
Jones finally recovered his sobriety and resumed his profession in the 1980s, but he never
attempted to launch a rival bar to the legendary Possum Holler.
However, the initial success of Possum Holler eventually encouraged many other country musicians
to start their own venues.
The notion of country singers with bars is still around today, despite the fact that
some have succeeded and others have failed.
For evidence, just take a look at Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar" chain, not to mention the
innumerable one-offs owned by artists all over the nation.
The unpleasant price of alcohol and drug abuse George Jones, one of the finest country music
singers of all time, experienced a life of pain and poverty and sang about it in his
songs.
He had more songs recorded than any other country artist and had the most singles on
the charts.
However, he paid the price for spending so much time on the street and sleeping on buses
or cars as he traveled from one place to another.
He had a difficult upbringing, went through several divorces and marriages, and abused
his body.
He psyched himself out by using drugs, alcohol, and smoking, which led to the destruction
of his lungs, liver, heart, and stomach.
Along with numerous other honors and distinctions, Jones was welcomed into the Country Music
Hall of Fame and awarded the National Medal of the Arts, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,
and National Medal of the Arts.
The last few years of his life, nevertheless, were terrible.
His terrible health affected everything he did.
He frequently had to cancel and reschedule shows since drinking had permanently destroyed
his liver and smoking had irreversibly harmed his lungs.
He suffered a cough in March 2012, and it got so bad that he had to spend five days
in the hospital.
Later that year, he began a tour that was supposed to stop in 60 cities, but on April
6, 2013, he performed at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum for the final time.
He was admitted to the hospital on April 18 in Nashville, and on April 26, 2013, following
six days in the hospital's intensive care unit, he passed away.
"Hypoxic respiratory failure" was listed as the official reason for the death.
Years of smoking had permanently destroyed his lungs, making it impossible for him to
maintain his brain's life-sustaining levels of oxygen in his body.
"He Stopped Loving Her Today" was once again ranked among the top songs in the nation the
week following his passing.
There you have it.
It's now time to hear from you.
Did you grow up listening to George Jones?
If you did, which of his songs is your favorite?