11 Questions With George

Jones

                                            Jessica Walden Griner

He’s a singer, a songwriter, an artist and an icon. But George Jones is also a Korea War veteran, an entrepreneur, a New York Times bestselling author, a car crash survivor and country music’s greatest comeback kid, who has over 50 years as a recording artist under his belt buckle. Part of that career included a stint singing for tips on the streets of Beaumont, Tex., before his first chart hit in 1955 with “Why Baby Why.” His infamous marriage to Tammy Wynette led to three number one hits as a duet before their later divorce. Other famous duet partners include James Taylor, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks. His biggest solo hit, “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” won him his first of two GRAMMY awards, and his latest work, the ingenious Hits I Missed . . . And One I Didn’t, garnered him a GRAMMY nod this year for “Best Male Country Vocal Peformance” on the single “Funny How Time Slips Away.” Even though he turns 75 this September, George Jones continues to perform nearly 100 shows a year and will be coming to the Macon City Auditorium on January 27.

1. What is your first musical memory?

GJ: Probably singing in church.  My mother was very religious, and we all went to church regularly.  Another huge memory was listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio on Saturday nights.  I was always afraid that I would fall asleep and I begged my mother to wake me up when it came on.  Another early memory is that my father gave me my first guitar on my 11th birthday. I loved that guitar and took it with me everywhere.

2. What events transpired to help create the first George Jones song?

GJ: That all depends on how you mean it.  In terms of my singing, I sang all the time since I was 11.  In terms of recording my own music, I was contacted while I was in the Marines by Pappy Daily who started StarDay Records that they would like to record me when I got out of the service.  Of course, singing was all I ever wanted to do and I called Pappy right away.  For a few recording sessions. I guess I tried to sound like everyone else and finally Pappy told me to start singing in my own voice.  I was lucky though that I had a my first hit, "Why Baby Why" within a year or so of starting to record

3. You have your own record label, Bandit Records. What made you start this venture?

GJ: Truthfully, I was just sick of the major record companies and never having any control over my music.  I've recorded more than 1,000 songs and made many millions of dollars for a lot of different companies, yet I still have nothing to say about my own records and what is done with them.  Once radio stopped playing my music, most of the big companies were not that interested in me – they like the prestige of having a "legend" but they really don't want to have to work those records.  They want to save their money and put it towards younger artists that they have more control over and whose royalty rate might not be as large as an established artist.  Evelyn Shriver and Susan Nadler, who are my partners in the company and run the business of it, were also at a point in their careers that they wanted to make some changes and slow down a little.

4. How has being independent working out?

GJ: It's been great.  We are like a family and we all get excited about a new album and picking the songs.  It is more fun for me after all these years when the people I am working with are happy to be there and excited about what I am doing.  We've sold a lot of albums and I'm making more money from my own music.  We are not selling what the young acts are – we are not selling millions but we also don't have to spend as much money "trying to keep up with the Jones.’" We do well, and I'm very proud and happy with the results.

5. What are your sentiments on being nominated for a GRAMMY this year?

GJ: I'm just thrilled and honored. The Grammys are always special since it crosses all kinds of music.  It's hard for me to believe that I am 74 and still being nominated as "Country Male Vocalist of the Year."

6. What advice do you give your daughter, Georgette Jones, regarding her recording career?

GJ: I told her it is a hard life, but she should know that.  Both her mom [Tammy Wynette] and dad had a lot of hard times in the business – the career took a lot of Tammy's health away and Lord knows it messed me up.  But if you love to sing, you just have to do it.  At this point I told her if this is her decision to be in the business, be careful, don't get messed up with all the "hustlers and managers" that squeeze themselves into your life.  I also told her top be true to who she is with her music.

7. If you could pick anyone, dead or alive, to perform with you on stage for a final performance at the Grand Ole Opry, who would it be?

GJ: Oh, that's a hard one.  Probably Hank Williams, Senior.  He had such a huge impact on me and to actually get to share the Opry stage with him would have been something.

8. What song would your perform?

GJ: Either "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" or "You Win Again."  I just love them both.

9. Can you tell us a crazy George Jones story that everyone doesn't already know?

GJ: No one ever tells a sober story on me so here is one: I love to shop.  I love to shop for shoes.  The first time I saw those sneakers with the coils in the soles, I decided everyone had to have a pair and I should introduce them to the Nashville. I didn't necessarily think about how I was going to do that and I definitely didn't want to open a store.   I ended up buying 50 or 60 pairs and just giving them away to everyone I ran into.

10. You have your own line of sausage and hamburger patties, as well as barbecue sauce and “Tennessee Sipping Water.” What got you into the food business?

GJ: One of the nice things about being a celebrity is that people come to you with ideas.  The Williams Sausage people came to me with these ideas and I was only interested if I had something to say about how they tasted.  We worked on several recipes and eventually came up with what we have.  The products taste very good.  I love having the water and drink a ton of it.

11. We ask this to a lot of artists we interview, what about being on stage all the time lends itself to the typical addictions of ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll’?

GJ: It's just not a normal life.  When you start out, you do a lot of clubs, which means quite a few sets so you spend every night in a bar until closing time.  I didn't even drink when I started playing in clubs.  But, everyone else does drink, and you are surrounded by drunks wanting to talk to you. You have to be friendly because you are trying to build an audience and fan base.  Next thing you know, you too are drinking because it is the only way you can get through the night surrounded by people who are drunk.  Then once you have success, everyone wants to give you stuff.  Excess is the deal. People want to hang out with you and they start to introduce you to things you never knew existed.  Too much money, too much goodwill, too much everything.

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