George Jones dead at 81

[Seth82]

8:51 AM PT -- Country superstar Alan Jackson -- who's known George for years -- tells TMZ ... “Well, heaven better get ready for some great country music."

He adds, "While George was known for his wild and crazy days, I’ve known him for 25 years as a friend. He had grown into a real good man. Of course, he will always be the greatest singer and interpreter of real country music – there’ll never be another."

"Like the song says, ‘You know this old world is full of singers, but just a few are chosen to tear your heart out when they sing. Imagine life without them…Who’s gonna fill their shoes.’”

8:04 AM PT -- George's publicist has released a statement on the singer's passing ... saying, "Today is a sad day for music. George said to me once, 'One day I'll Join the Angel band.' Well, today he did."

The statement continues, "George passed with his family by his side and the official cause of death is being listed as 'Hypoxic Respiratory Failure.'" FYI -- H.R.F. means the lungs couldn't pump enough oxygen to the rest of the body.

7:44 AM PT -- A family member tells TMZ ... "He has been on oxygen for a long while now and his lungs finally just couldn’t do it anymore and they collapsed and he passed away. He couldn’t breathe anymore on his own."

[darksithbunny]

Oh dear. Not going to be an easy Sunday visit with my 92 year old gran, he was her favorite. I will have to sit and listen about how she should have already been gone.

[Bluebonnet]

Love that song! It was written by The Big Bopper.

RIP, Ol Possum.

[Rachel]

This is so horrible...I loved George Jones, but only got to know his music later in life because an ex had a lot of his music and played it constantly. The first song I ever heard by George Jones was:

George Jones The race is on - YouTube

[Laurent]

Oh, Possum. R.I.P.

[msdeb]

man this made me so sad. my parents absolutely LOVED him. Their favorite country star ever. To this day 'He Stopped Loving Her Today' makes me cry. RIP

[Mel1973]

I'm a little late to the thread ... but as soon as I heard, I knew I'd be sitting in the bar playing me some George Jones and that is what I did. RIP Old Friend, you brought much happiness to people. Millions felt you were "one of us" and you will be sorely missed.

[Bluebonnet]

Here is the program from his funeral which is happening now at the Grand Ol' Opry.

http://www.opry.com/img/homepage/GJ_..._final-web.pdf

[pmpk4757]

My Mom and Dad were mad for George and went to see him in concert, I'm guessing about 15 yrs or so ago. They said he came on late, half in the bag, and then proceeded to bitch about the sound quality of the arena and tried to sell some dog food that he put his name on. To this day if you mention George Jones to my Mom she goes off about "that old drunk trying to flog his dog food"!

[Novice]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: GEORGE JONES DIDN’T HAVE TO DIE!

^-A ⁺A
Published on: May 2, 2013
by JOHN BLOSSER, NATIONAL ENQUIRER
Photography by: Getty Images


Music legend George Jones was worked to death by people who pushed him to churn out one more big paycheck before he died.
That’s the charge leveled by George’s former common-law wife, Linda Dodson, 64, who told The ENQUIRER exclusively: “They killed George – they worked him to death.
“He should have retired many years ago, but they forced him into a 60-date ‘farewell tour’ that finally put him in his grave. He was in no shape to be working like that, but they wanted one more paycheck. It’s terribly sad and tragic.”
Jones, who lived with Dodson in Alabama after his split with country singer Tammy Wynette in the mid-’70s, died at age 81 on April 26 in Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center after being hospitalized with irregular blood pressure and fever.
Known as “The Possum,” Jones’ history with booze and drugs was almost as long as his string of country hits. He cleaned up his act after marrying fourth wife Nancy in 1983, but the years of hard living had taken their toll.
The “He Stopped Loving Her Today” and “White Light*ning” superstar was on a national tour scheduled to end with a sold-out concert at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 22 and a new album.
But friends warned he’d never make it.
“I told him, ‘George, you’re killing yourself up there (on*stage),’” a source recalled. “But he would just say, ‘I’m going to make sure Nancy and my kids are all well provided for when I’m gone, and I want my fans to see me up there one last time.’
“In the end, it killed him.”


EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: GEORGE JONES DIDN