Like Mother, Like Daughter: Georgette Jones Honors Tammy Wynette With an Incredible Cover of Her Mom’s No. 1 Hit at the Ryman

Georgette Jones just did her mother proud. On March 30, Jones was one of many singers who gathered at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to put on a special tribute concert to the late Tammy Wynette.

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Initially, Jones was only slated to perform one song, but she got the chance to add a second to the docket after one artist dropped out due to a scheduling conflict.

“It’s a song called ‘He Loves Me All the Way,’ which is a great, fun, upbeat song,” Jones told American Songwriter ahead of the big night. “I’m kind of glad that that happened. I get to sing something upbeat and cheerful and with a great rhythm. It’s a lot of fun to do.”

Fun it was, as Jones delivered a delightful rendition of her mom’s 1970 tune.

Georgette Jones’ Emotional Tribute to Mom Tammy Wynette

Later in the show, Jones took the stage again, this time to perform a song of her own. Titled “I Hope You Knew,” Jones penned the track in honor of her late mom.

“It’s a song I wrote for my mom about a year after my mom passed away on Mother’s Day. I think I did what a lot of people do. You start thinking about the things you wish you’d said, and all the things you wish you’d done,” Jones said. “We lost mom so unexpectedly. She was only 55.”

“When I wrote the song, those were the emotions that I was feeling,” she continued. “It’s just one of wanting so much for her to know how much she was loved, and knowing that our family just treasures her so much. I hope she knew how much she meant to us before she left this world.”

It’s emotional to say the least, something Jones acknowledged as soon as she took the stage.

“I hope that you all will think about Mom as I do when I sing this song that’s special, just for her,” Jones told the audience. “… I’m going to try to sing this for you the best I can. Bear with me if I get emotional.”

Jones managed to make it through the performance without crying, a huge feat in itself given the emotional nature of the track.

Georgette Jones Reflects on Tribute Concert for Mom Tammy Wynette

Jones wasn’t the only star to take the stage on Monday night. Wynonna Judd, Carter Faith, The War and Treaty, and Ann Wilson also performed. Jones said that a lineup like that would have left her mom “near speechless” and “overwhelmed.”

In Wynette’s absence, her family feels similar emotions about the whole thing.

“One thing that really thrills us is seeing her effect on other people. Her music, her life, her legacy, the memories of her, whether it be older fans or people coming to the show for the first time, seeing her and discovering her,” Jones said. “It’s really emotional for us on a really deep, personal level, because Mom meant so much to us.”

As for the fans, Jones is thrilled that they’ll have the chance to watch the show on the PBS series Great Performances at a later date.

“It serves two wonderful purposes,” Jones said of the concert being televised. “On the one hand, Mom adored her fans, and they supported her through decades of her career. I know she would be happy for us to be able to share that music and those memories with them again. But also because Mom has been gone since 1998… there’s so many young people that could be introduced to her music.”

“I think there’s a lot of young people who are more open to that traditional sound now than there was maybe 10 years ago,” she added. “We just want to carry on mom’s music, memory, and legacy for as long as we possible can.”

When it comes to her mom’s legacy, Jones said she hopes people remember Wynette “for her full heart of love and passion for both people and for music.”

Photo by Evan DeStefano