Yesterday we lost another icon. The great George Jones. A man who was larger than life. A man whose ,what can only be described as tumultuous life, is the stuff of legend. Whether or not you were a fan of his music, you know his name. He will be missed.
I was working when I heard the news. I felt an instant sadness. The " possum " is gone. As I continued to work I thought about that. I began to realize what I was really mourning was the loss of a generation. That is the sad part of growing older. One by one the loss of the old timers seem to creep up on us, until we are the old timers. It is just part of the cycle. The passing of those that affected not just our lives, but the lives of our parents. George Jones was one of those people. His impact was most felt during my parents time. Yes, he continued throughout his life to entertain. The ability to do that and remain relevant is the testament to his talent. You just can't be country without George Jones !
I will leave his eulogy to those far more qualified than I. George will always be in my music library. We will see a flurry of tributes and memorial shows. That is only right and fitting. Following that will be all the " complete collection " albums and special editions. There is money to be made and it won't take long for those so inclined to cash in. That part of it makes me a little angry.
The comedians can have a little fun with him. I can hear all the jokes now. They didn't have to embalm him, he did that himself. At least this time we can be sure he'll show up. I'm betting George would get a chuckle at those himself. It was good to see him finally get straight and enjoy his last years. I feel like I have lost a friend. I never met him or attended any of his shows. I don't play his music every day. I didn't just " love" everything he ever did. I wasn't a fan of his, I was a friend he never met. Now, when I was a lot younger we would have had quite a time together.
I was working when I heard the news. I felt an instant sadness. The " possum " is gone. As I continued to work I thought about that. I began to realize what I was really mourning was the loss of a generation. That is the sad part of growing older. One by one the loss of the old timers seem to creep up on us, until we are the old timers. It is just part of the cycle. The passing of those that affected not just our lives, but the lives of our parents. George Jones was one of those people. His impact was most felt during my parents time. Yes, he continued throughout his life to entertain. The ability to do that and remain relevant is the testament to his talent. You just can't be country without George Jones !
I will leave his eulogy to those far more qualified than I. George will always be in my music library. We will see a flurry of tributes and memorial shows. That is only right and fitting. Following that will be all the " complete collection " albums and special editions. There is money to be made and it won't take long for those so inclined to cash in. That part of it makes me a little angry.
The comedians can have a little fun with him. I can hear all the jokes now. They didn't have to embalm him, he did that himself. At least this time we can be sure he'll show up. I'm betting George would get a chuckle at those himself. It was good to see him finally get straight and enjoy his last years. I feel like I have lost a friend. I never met him or attended any of his shows. I don't play his music every day. I didn't just " love" everything he ever did. I wasn't a fan of his, I was a friend he never met. Now, when I was a lot younger we would have had quite a time together.
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