'The Possum' stops here on farewell tour

photo George Jones

If You Go

* What: George Jones on "The Grand Tour."* When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22.* Where: Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave.* Admission: $42.75.* Phone: 423-425-7826.

Quotes from The Possum

"Be real about what you do. Stay true to the voice inside you. Don't let the 'business' change what it is you love because the people, the fans, respond to what is heartfelt. They can always tell when a singer is faking it.""Maybe some folks are alcoholics and others are just voluntary drunks. ... Maybe some have drinking problems, while others have problems enough to drink. ""Me and the bottle have always been friends. We've had a few old nasty fights but the bottle would always win, so when I go to answer that final curtain call, I can hear these words being whispered by all ... Ol' George stopped drinking today."

George Jones has been a part of country music since the beginning. Or so it might seem.

All good things eventually come to an end, and his concert Friday, March 22, at Memorial Auditorium will be among your last chances to see the legend perform live.

Opening act for "The Possum" on this Grand Tour stop is the duo Wilson Fairchild (Wil Reid and Langdon Reid). They are sons of Statler Brothers Harold and Don Reid, respectively.

Jones recorded more than 150 hit records and 14 No. 1 hits, including "White Lightning," "She Thinks I Still Care," "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today."

The latter is often cited by many as the best country music song ever recorded. It won Jones a Grammy, as well as top honors from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.

A 1992 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he has won every major award available to him and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1956.

He was married four times, most famously to fellow country star Tammy Wynette, with whom he recorded a number of hits, including "Golden Ring," which was a No. 1 hit for them a year after their divorce.

He is currently married to Nancy Sepulvado, who is his manager and the person he credits with breaking him from his alcohol and cocaine addictions.

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