On this day in 1956, a 25-year-old George Jones stepped into the circle at the Grand Ole Opry and into country music history. Officially inducted as an Opry member on August 25, 1956, “The Possum” began a love affair with the Opry that spanned nearly six decades—and today marks the anniversary of the night he became part of its legendary family.
“A singer making it to the Opry in 1956 was like an athlete making it to the Olympics … I was simply too overjoyed to realize what I was doing,” Jones wrote in his autobiography, I Lived to Tell It All.
Jones’ career reads like a made-for-TV country music movie—a mix of raw talent, hard living, and songs that have remained the genre’s gold standard for decades. Born in 1931 in Saratoga, Texas, and raised in nearby Beaumont, Jones grew up poor but surrounded by music.
“The only music we ever listened to out in the piney woods was Roy Acuff and the Grand Ole Opry,” Jones said. “That was the only night of the week I was allowed to lay in the middle of the bed with Mama and Daddy, just long enough to hear Roy Acuff sing. Then I had to go back to bed.”
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George Jones Listened to the Opry in Bed with His Parents
By 1955, Jones scored his first hit with “Why Baby Why” and barely made his Grand Ole Opry debut. An issue with a guitar threatened his stage performance of “You Gotta Be My Baby” at Ryman Auditorium. Opry staff told him he couldn’t bring his guitar onstage. Opry star George Morgan stepped in and lent Jones Little Jimmy Dickens’ guitar so he could perform.
The Grand Ole Opry inducted Jones as a member the following year.
In later years, Jones admitted the Opry made him nervous. He compared stepping into the Opry’s famous circle to being asked to play in Yankee Stadium on his very first day. In 2013, when Jones died, the Grand Ole Opry House was where the community gathered to celebrate his life and say goodbye.
Through the 1960s, Jones cemented his position as one of country’s most emotive voices. He was married four times, including to country star Tammy Wynette. Their union (1969–1975) produced fiery duets including “We’re Gonna Hold On” and “Golden Ring.” However, their turbulent relationship became almost as famous as their music. His battles with alcohol and cocaine earned him the nickname “No Show Jones.” They also destroyed his marriage to Wynette and nearly killed his career.
However, Jones started to stabilize in the 1980s thanks to the help of his fourth and final wife, Nancy. He released “He Stopped Loving Her Today” in 1980. Forty-five years later, it is still celebrated as the greatest country song of all time. The title revived his career, earned him a Grammy, and a trophy for CMA Song of the Year. When he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992, Jones had 13 No. 1 singles.
George Jones Died in 2013
He died in 2013 at 81 with his wife, Nancy, by his side. While he was a superstar, Jones was also a beloved member of the country music community. His family hosted a private visitation at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home in Nashville. Cars packed the pathways around the cemetery. A line of traffic snaked down the winding driveway and into the street.
Among those sitting in traffic: Loretta Lynn. Guests, including Mark Collie, Duane Allen, and John Rich, stood in a line that wrapped around the building. Later, Trace Adkins and Brad Paisley were whisked in without waiting.
Billy Ray Cyrus, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, Gov. Bill Haslam, also paid their respects.
“He was integral to country music. I’ve traveled all over and in Japan, and they knew George but didn’t know country,” Brenda Lee told The Tennessean. “I’ve lost a great friend, and the world has lost a great artist.”
For Barbara Mandrell, “he was always loving and kind, as well as being the most talented singer that ever existed.”
Larry Gatlin added, “About three days ago, someone became the best country singer alive (because we lost George Jones).”
His family held his official funeral service at the Grand Ole Opry House, a nod to how important the Opry was to Jones, and Jones’ esteemed position in country music.
“Someone Became the Greatest Country Singer Alive”
Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Randy Travis, Paisley, Travis Tritt, the Oak Ridge Boys, Charlie Daniels, Kid Rock, Ronnie Milsap, Wynonna Judd, Alan Jackson and Tanya Tucker with the Imperials, performed during Jones’ celebration of life, and former first lady Laura Bush, Kenny Chesney, CBS chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer, Opry General Manager Pete Fisher, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, pastor Mike Wilson and Jones’ fellow Country Music Hall of Famer Barbara Mandrell made tributes.
In the end, the Opry wasn’t just the stage where Jones launched his career—it was the place where country music came to honor him one last time. His journey began in that circle in 1956, and fittingly, the Grand Ole Opry House became the place where friends, fans, and legends gathered to say goodbye.
(Photo by Ebet Roberts/Getty Images)
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