Ernest’s Opry Cover of George Jones Gets Surprising Stamp of Approval

George Jones isn’t only of the greatest country music artists of all time—he’s in a league of his own. Among his career standouts is “He Stopped Loving Her Today”, a song Jones once described as a “sad, slobbery tearjerker.” It soared to No. 1, remaining a country music standard to this day. And if all that wasn’t nerve-wracking enough for country singer-songwriter Ernest—who performed the 1980 hit during a recent Grand Ole Opry appearance—he had to sing it with Nancy Jones, the late artist’s widow, in the audience.

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Ernest Shares Sweet Opry Encounter With George Jones’ Widow

Earlier this week, Ernest was part of a lineup that welcomed Jelly Roll into the Grand Ole Opry. Always trying to keep the country music of yesteryear alive, the “Flower Shops” singer, 34, went with the George Jones classic.

“When I was sound checking with the band beforehand, in the little nook backstage, I finished, I walked around the corner, and Mrs. Nancy Jones was standing right there,” he said in a video shared to Instagram. “George Jones’ widow was standing right there with tears in her eyes.”

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Embracing the singer-songwriter, Nancy Jones told him, “That song has always made me cry.”

Ernest was experiencing some strong emotions himself. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m so glad I didn’t know you were there the whole time. I would have been freaking out,’” he continued.

Still, the pressure was on. “But then I had to go and do it in front of everybody at the Opry knowing that she was standing side stage,” Ernest said. “And I got the thumbs up from Mrs. Nancy Jones. There’s a Nashville Opry story for you.”

[RELATED: This Country Star Just Attempted To Cover “One of the Best Country Songs Ever”—and George Strait Should Be Proud]

“How Sweet”: Nancy Jones Responds

When Ernest shared a video of himself recounting the surreal moment on Wednesday (March 11), Nancy Jones again weighed in.

“How sweet! Love you honey! – Nancy,” she wrote under George Jones’ official Instagram handle.

 Jones met Nancy Sepulvado, a 34-year-old divorcée from Mansfield, Louisiana, in 1981. Marrying two years later, the couple remained together until Jones’ death on April 26, 2013, at age 81.

“It wasn’t love at first sight or anything like that,” Nancy Jones said in 1994. “But I saw what a good person he was, deep down, and I couldn’t help caring about him.” 

Featured image by Jonathan Leibson/FilmMagic