A salute to "The Possum"

Two phrases have been running through my mind after hearing the news of today’s passing of Country music legend, George Jones.

“He stopped loving her today” and “Who’s gonna fill their shoes”

Those phrases, of course, are titles of two of the biggest hits from the man known as “The Possum.”

-- He said I'll love you 'til I die. She told him you'll forget in time. As the years went slowly by, she still preyed upon his mind.

He kept her picture on his wall. Went half crazy now and then. He still loved her through it all, hoping she'd come back again.

Kept some letters by his bed dated 1962. He had underlined in red every single ‘I love you’
I went to see him just today, oh but I didn't see no tears. All dressed up to go away. First time I'd seen him smile in years.

He stopped loving her today. They placed a wreath upon his door, And soon they'll carry him away. He stopped loving her today.

You know she came to see him one last time. Oh and we all wondered if she would. And it kept running through my mind - this time he's over her for good. –

George could tug at the heart strings with those soulful tear-jerker songs,like "If drinkin' don't kill me," "a good year for the roses," "If my heart had windows," and "a picture of me without you."

He also was adept at effortlessly switching directions and kicking it up with songs such as "the race is on," and "white lightning."

And of course, when I think of George Jones, I usually think of him and his ex-wife and duet partner, Tammy Wynette.

George & Tammy were shining brightly at a time when the male/female country duet was prevalent in Country music, along with Johnny & June, Conway & Loretta, Porter & Dolly, and even George with Melba Montgomery, and Kenny Rogers & Dottie West. It’s something that I’ve missed in the last couple decades; something we’ve only heard a few times since the start of the 1990s, like singles from Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss with “Whiskey Lullaby” and Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow with “Picture”.

And then there’s the duet that George did with his daughter, Georgette – “You and me and time.”

I guess it would only be fitting that I end this by asking the question – who’s gonna fill HIS shoes?

--

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 - All your, radio heroes, like the outlaw that walks through Jesse's dream. 

No, there will never be another Red-headed stranger, a Man in Black and Folsom Prison Blues. The Okie from Muskogee, or ‘Hello Darlin’. Lord I wonder, who's gonna fill their shoes.

Who's gonna fill their shoes? Who's gonna stand that tall? Who's gonna play the Opry and the Wabash Cannonball?

Who's gonna give their heart and soul to get to me and you? Lord I wonder, who's gonna fill their shoes?

God bless the boys from Memphis, Blue Suede Shoes and Elvis. Much too soon he left this world in tears. 
They tore up the Fifties - Old Jerry Lee and Charlie, and ‘Go Cat Go’ still echoes through the years.

You know the heart of country music still beats in Luke the Drifter. You can tell when hew sang ‘I Saw the Light’. 
Old Marty, Hank and Lefty - Why I can feel them right here with me on this Silver Eagle rolling through the night.

Who's gonna fill their shoes? Who's gonna stand that tall? Who's gonna play the Opry and the Wabash Cannonball?

Who's gonna give their heart and soul to get to me and you? Lord I wonder, who's gonna fill their shoes? --

Rest in peace, George.