Several country music stars are combining their talents for one unforgettable night, to pay tribute to the late George Jones. Michael Ray, Tracy Lawrence, Trace Adkins and more will be part of Still Playing Possum: Music and Memories of George Jones, taking place on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. They will join an impressive list of artists honoring George including Brad Paisley, Jamey Johnson, Dierks Bentley, Justin Moore, Lorrie Morgan, Tanya Tucker, Sam Moore and Mark Chesnutt. More artists are expected to be announced in the near future.
“George Jones died on April 26, 2013, in Nashville, Tennessee,” George’s widow, Nancy, says of the event. “It will be ten years since he left us with just his songs, so to produce this night of music to honor his legacy is perfectly fitting. George made history and influenced artists from all genres and many of them will celebrate with us in April. The night will bring lots of emotion for the fans, our family, and anyone who just loved country music.”
George was 81 years old when he passed away, leaving behind more than 50 years of music to be remembered by. A pioneer in country music, Nancy says it is fitting that her late husband be honored with a musical tribute.
“Oh, I’m just so excited,” Nancy tells AL.com. “And I think that George would be excited, his friends all coming together and singing two songs each of George’s songs, and I just think it’s gonna be a wonderful night. I feel like that Alabama will be as excited as I am, so I think it’s going be wonderful. They’re gonna get their money’s worth.”
Nancy credits George with putting his own unique spin on country music, in a way that nobody else had ever done before, and likely will do again.
“He phrased differently than any of them,” Nancy boasts. “He loved the songs that he did. He was mostly a ballad man, but it was like he lived and breathed every one of them. When you feel a song, you can sing it and he did.”
Although George was born in Texas, and lived in Tennessee for most of his life, Nancy says it makes sense for her to have the concert in Alabama instead.
“Everybody’s doing Nashville,” she says. “You get lost if you get into Nashville, there’s just so much going on. And the Von Braun Center, George played there so many times and loved it there. I think it’s going to be just like going home.”
Tickets for Still Playing Possum: Music and Memories of George Jones, which begin at just $25 will be on sale beginning on Thursday, December 22, via Ticketmaster. The event will also be filmed for an upcoming television special.
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