As the 45th annual Telly Awards honored some of the best in television, country music was well-represented! 'Still Playin’ Possum: Music & Memories of George Jones' was a TOP winner taking home a Gold statue for Best Music Performance (Television), a Bronze statue for Best Entertainment Program (Television), and a Bronze for Best Live Event & Experience (Television).
“When we started planning this tribute show, we had no idea who we would have on the show, how big it would become, or even if anyone in the television world would want to air a special about George Jones,” says Nancy Jones, Executive Producer of the program. “We knew we wanted to do something very special to honor George on the 10th anniversary of his passing, but we really didn’t know if anyone would come. To my surprise and everyone else’s, we pulled off something really special, and winning these awards just proves what we did was special!”
Artists including Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Jelly Roll, Tanya Tucker, Wynonna, Jamey Johnson, Trace Adkins, Travis Tritt, Sam Moore, Sara Evans, Justin Moore, Joe Nichols, Lorrie Morgan, Uncle Kracker, Gretchen Wilson, Aaron Lewis, Tracy Lawrence, Michael Ray, Tracy Byrd, Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, Dillon Carmicheal, The Isaacs, T. Graham Brown, Janie Fricke, Tim Watson, and Lisa Matassa all performed songs that Jones made hits.
Performing to a sold-out show at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama, concertgoers had no idea what was coming next. Song after song, hit after hit, those who got to experience the music event live were left laughing, crying, and singing word after word to what has now become a musical masterpiece.
The special, owned by No Show Productions and the George Jones Estate, was licensed as part of the PBS Great Performances series and is currently airing on local PBS stations.
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About George Jones:
George Jones is regarded among the most important and influential singers in American popular music history. He was the singer of enduring country music hits including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Grand Tour,” “Walk Through This World With Me,” “Tender Years” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the latter of which is often at the top of industry lists of the greatest country music singles of all time. Born in Saratoga, Texas, Jones played on the streets of Beaumont for tips as a teenager. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps before returning to Texas and recording for the Starday label in Houston, Texas. In 1955, his “Why Baby Why” became his first Top 10 country single, peaking at number four and beginning a remarkable commercial string: Jones would ultimately record more than 160 charting singles, more than any other artist in any format in the history of popular music. His first number-one hit came in 1959 with “White Lightning,” a Mercury Records single that topped the Billboard country charts for five weeks. He moved on to United Artists and then to Musicor, notching hits including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Race Is On,” “A Good Year for the Roses” and “Walk Through This World With Me.”
Jones signed with Epic Records in 1971 and worked with producer Billy Sherrill to craft a sound at once elegant and rooted, scoring with “The Grand Tour,” “Bartenders Blues” and many more. Sherrill also produced duets between Jones and his then-wife Tammy Wynette, and in the 1970s they scored top-charting hits including “We’re Gonna Hold On,” “Golden Ring” and “Near You.” By the time “Golden Ring” and “Near You” hit in 1976, Jones and Wynette were divorced, and Jones was battling personal demons. His solo career cooled until 1980 when he recorded “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” a ballad penned by Curly Putman and Bobby Braddock that helped Jones win Country Music Association prizes for best male vocal and top single. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” revived a flagging career, and Jones won the CMA’s Top Male Vocalist award in 1980 and 1981. He also earned a Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. He signed with MCA Records in 1990 and began a successful run, and he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. His guest vocal on Patty Loveless’ “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” won a CMA award for top vocal event in 1998, and it became his final Top 20 country hit.
