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| The casket for country music legend George Jones lies in the Grand Ole Opry House before his funeral on Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. Jones, one of country music's biggest stars who had No. 1 hits in four separate decades, died April 26. He was 81. |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- For a guy who sang so many sad songs, George Jones left behind a lot of laughs.
There
was more humor than sadness at Jones' funeral Thursday at the Grand Ole
Opry House as thousands gathered in Nashville - some arriving hours
before sunrise - to pay their respects to the man whose voice has
defined country music for more than half a century.
Friend
after friend related stories of Jones' kindness, his love for his
widow, Nancy, who's credited with helping him survive his personal
demons later in life, and the funny little moments that will stick with
them always.
Barbara Mandrell remembered the
kindnesses he gave a scared 13-year-old girl just getting her start in
the business. Former first lady Laura Bush remembered dumping quarter
after quarter into the jukebox to hear "The Race Is On." Wynonna Judd
remembered his perfect hair and his friendship. And Vince Gill
remembered the man who gave him the nickname "Sweet Pea," a moniker he
wasn't sure he liked at first but now treasures.
"The
great thing is every time someone calls me Sweet Pea, I'll get to think
about him," Gill said before earning a standing ovation for his
rendition of "Go Rest High on That Mountain" with Patty Loveless.
The
nearly 3-hour memorial was attended by several major country stars and
political figures. Nancy Jones sat flanked by Bush and Garth Brooks and
Trisha Yearwood. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam spoke, as did former
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. CBS host Bob Schieffer recalled a 2009
interview with Jones where the singer's true personality seemed to show
through.
"I came away feeling his whole life was a surprise to him and he never quite believed any of it," Schieffer said.
Each
of the stars who performed had a personal connection to Jones. Randy
Travis, who was anointed a traditional country voice by Jones, sang
"Amazing Grace," a song Jones had once put his own personal stamp upon.
"When I heard him do this song, it literally gave me chills," Travis said.
Paisley
remembered Jones allowing him to house his first horse on the Jones
family farm and the visits the two would have, then sang "Me &
Jesus." Kid Rock asked Nancy Jones to imagine Jones was actually singing
as he performed "Best of Me," before checking himself to the delight of
the crowd.
"I know that's a huge (leap of)
imagination," Kid Rock said with an embarrassed smile. "Unshaven,
long-haired confused country hip-hop rock `n' roller trying to sing
George Jones."
But it may have been Charlie
Daniels who summed up Jones best in a long, beautifully rendered
tribute. He noted Jones was probably the most imitated country singer of
all time.
"George Jones' voice was a rowdy
Saturday night uproar at a back-street beer joint, the heartbroken wail
of the one who wakes up to find the other side of the bed empty, the
far-off lonesome whistle of the midnight train, the look in the eyes of a
young bride as that ring is placed on her finger, the memories of a
half-asleep old man dreaming about the good old days," Daniels said.
"Lost love, lost innocence, good and bad memories, and experiences that
are just too much for a human being to deal with. He sang for us all,
the non-stop partiers, the guys who are alone and the girl done wrong,
the puppy lovers, the extrovert, the introvert and the guy at the end of
the bar who never seems to go home ... George had a song for
everybody."
The funeral was broadcast live on
cable music television channels CMT and GAC and - in a nod to simpler
times when Jones was at his biggest - on all local television networks.
The
Beaumont, Texas, native was in the midst of a farewell tour that was to
have wrapped up with an all-star salute in November in Nashville when
he died. He postponed two performances two weeks ago and entered the
hospital with a fever and irregular blood pressure. He'd been ill off
and on over the previous year.
Jones' pure,
matchless baritone defined the sound of country music for a half
century, and his death brought universal reaction from the music
community and fans. Known for hits like "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes,"
"White Lightning" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today," which Alan Jackson
used to close the memorial, Jones had No. 1s in four decades from the
1950s to the 1980s and "Possum" remained a popular figure in Music City
until his death.
"Brother George taught us how to sing with a broken heart," Gill said.
Paisley
said even though Jones has passed on, his legacy is still there, ready
to inspire. He urged young viewers who might be tuning in to check out
Jones' music.
"You must be thinking, `Boy,
they're making a ruckus,'" Paisley said. "I would encourage you if you
don't know him, go find him now. Go buy his records and see what all
this ruckus is about because it's worth it."
