Dear Kay,
Huge news in Nashville this morning: George Jones has died.
He’s been in out of the hospital in recent years, but you never think George Jones would ever actually go.
Many consider “He Stopped Loving Her Today” to be the saddest country song of all time, and I wouldn’t want to argue anybody out of that.
But a recent favorite of mine is this one, “Half Over You.”
He was one of country music’s wildest stars. But that’s not what I think about when I think about George Jones. I think about the time Hubbo and I went to hear him at an outdoor amphitheater at Opryland, in the early ’90s. It had to have been one of his least glamorous gigs–motley crowd, not even a sellout. But he DID show up (despite his notorious No-Show Jones ways), and he DID sing his heart out, and Hubbo said to me, “He’s got perfect pitch. Listen.”
So many singers today try to sing like George Jones. He invented a way of singing, really.
Love,
Ann
PS Here’s a swatch for my Knit Your Life project. There’s no pattern to it, that’s for sure.
My husband used to sing “He Stopped Loving Her Today” to our children as a lullaby, and old Hank Williams songs. Settled them right down!
Sometimes George could make you shake your head at his ways, but he was great and a huge influence on country music. He had a great voice, and that perfect pitch. RIP George Jones.
Those cables look great.
Ann, you are swatching my life!
RIP George, you sang me through my childhood.
George and Tammy together again. Who’s going to drive a lawn mower down Franklin Road now he’s gone. I loved it that summer or two when they both played Opryland. You can’t beat those Donelson summer evenings sitting with folks brought in by some tour bus some of whom didn’t have a clue the history they were seeing there. Listening to pure country sang the real way by folks that lived it. Sad day for Nashville. No wonder it’s started raining…..
The only thing more perfect than George Jones and Tammy Wynette’s “Golden Ring” was “He stopped loving her today”. Geez, you’ll be missed Possum.
LOVE that swatch!
Thank you for including the videos. It was your tweet this morning that I learned the sad news of George’s passing.
That “swatching my life” comment from Nell is not far off from what came to my mind; but I was thinking that it could also represent George’s life, broken limb, meandering trails and the best and worst of highs ‘n lows.
And that’s the saddest (in a good way) swatch I’ve ever seen. “Cable Going Nowhere” is what George Jones would have composed to that swatch.
I live where shore pines are subjected to high winds. To me this looks very much like a grouping of pine tree trunks. That errant cable/branch seemingly hanging or coming out of nowhere is a common sight, especially after a big storm.
I live where shore pines are subjected to high winds. To me this looks very much like a grouping of pine tree trunks. That errant cable/branch seemingly hanging or coming out of nowhere is a common sight, especially after a big storm.
I already miss him! Songs of my childhood. My mother called this morning ~I guess you heard George Jones passed? What a voice.
Great swatch!
When we heard the news about George Jones, my hub reminded me of this one: The Kind is Gone (And So Are You), in which the singer taps into his Jim Bean Elvis decanter and pours it into a Flinstone jelly jar glass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6j2YBD–1U
All-time great lines: “I pulled the head off Elvis/Filled Fred up to his pelvis.”
George was an American original. He epitomized the wit, humor, sadness, craziness, melody and charm of modern country music. He was a real artist. His songs told such touching, funny, sad, amazing stories. So sorry he has passed.
When we heard the news about George Jones, my hub reminded me of this one: The Kind is Gone (And So Are You), in which the singer taps into his Jim Bean Elvis decanter and pours it into a Flinstone jelly jar glass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6j2YBD–1U
All-time great lines: “I pulled the head off Elvis/Filled Fred up to his pelvis.”
George was an American original. He epitomized the wit, humor, sadness, craziness, melody and charm of modern country music. He was a real artist. His songs told such touching, funny, sad, amazing stories. So sorry he has passed.
When we heard the news about George Jones, my hub reminded me of this one: The Kind is Gone (And So Are You), in which the singer taps into his Jim Bean Elvis decanter and pours it into a Flinstone jelly jar glass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6j2YBD–1U
All-time great lines: “I pulled the head off Elvis/Filled Fred up to his pelvis.”
George was an American original. He epitomized the wit, humor, sadness, craziness, melody and charm of modern country music. He was a real artist. His songs told such touching, funny, sad, amazing stories. So sorry he has passed.
George Jones was truly one-of-a-kind. It’s wonderful to see people from all walks of life paying tribute to him.
The first time I heard “He Stopped Loving Her Today” I was driving to work, and had to pull off the road to cry. What a wonderful music-maker, whose way with a song will never be replicated.
Love the lack of pattern for your Knit Your Life. Just like life – so many different paths! 🙂 On the George Jones note…so sad, but he’ll have a legacy!