Music City mourns country legend George Jones
By CHRIS TALBOTTBy CHRIS TALBOTT, AP Music Writer?
?FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2007 file photo, George Jones is shown in Nashville, Tenn. Jones, the peerless, hard-living country singer who recorded dozens of hits about good times and regrets and peaked with the heartbreaking classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today," has died. He was 81. Jones died Friday, April 26, 2013 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being hospitalized with fever and irregular blood pressure, according to his publicist Kirt Webster. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, file)
FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2007 file photo, George Jones is shown in Nashville, Tenn. Jones, the peerless, hard-living country singer who recorded dozens of hits about good times and regrets and peaked with the heartbreaking classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today," has died. He was 81. Jones died Friday, April 26, 2013 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being hospitalized with fever and irregular blood pressure, according to his publicist Kirt Webster. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, file)
A wreath in memory of country music star George Jones hangs on a door at the Grand Ole Opry House on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. The Opry House is where the funeral for Jones will be held Thursday, May 2. Jones, one of country music's biggest stars who had No. 1 hits in four separate decades, died April 26. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Jean Tanner, of Madison, Ga., walks past a wreath hung on a door at the Grand Ole Opry House in memory of country music star George Jones on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. The Opry House is where the funeral for Jones will be held Thursday, May 2. Jones, one of country music's biggest stars who had No. 1 hits in four separate decades, died April 26. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
People visit the the Grand Ole Opry House on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. The Opry House is where the funeral for country music legend George Jones will be held Thursday, May 2. Jones, one of country music's biggest stars who had No. 1 hits in four separate decades, died April 26. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
The casket for country music legend George Jones lies in the Grand Ole Opry House before his funeral on Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. Jones, one of country music's biggest stars who had No. 1 hits in four separate decades, died April 26. He was 81. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Thousands of fans who had been waiting in line since the wee hours joined some of country's biggest stars Thursday to pay their respects to George Jones at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
An overflow crowd began lining up at 3 a.m. to honor the late country music superstar, who died last week at 81.
Former first lady Laura Bush will speak at the public funeral along with friends and country stars Barbara Mandrell and Kenny Chesney. Jones also will be serenaded by Vince Gill, Kid Rock, Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Tanya Tucker, Wynonna Judd, Charlie Daniels and Randy Travis.
The funeral is being broadcast live on cable music television channels CMT and GAC and ? in a nod to simpler times when Jones was at his biggest ? on all local television networks.
He was in the midst of a farewell tour that was to have wrapped up with an all-star salute in November in Nashville. He postponed two performances two weeks ago and entered the hospital with a fever and irregular blood pressure. He'd been ill off and on over the previous year.
Jones' pure, matchless baritone defined the sound of country music for a half century and his death brought universal reaction from the music community and fans. Known for hits like "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes," ''White Lightning" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today," widely acknowledged as the greatest country song, Jones had No. 1s in four decades from the 1950s to the 1980s and "Possum" remained a popular figure in Music City until his death.
Once married to Tammy Wynette, he was the living embodiment of the words "country music star" at the height of his career and continues to have broad influence on the genre, especially with artists who prefer traditional country to today's pop- and rock-influenced sounds.
Jones also had his troubles as he battled substance abuse and money troubles, but always seemed to slide by with his sense of humor and knowing grin intact.
He won a Grammy and two consecutive Country Music Association song of the year awards for "He Stopped Loving Her Today," and was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. He was among the artists honored in Washington at the Kennedy Center in 2008.
The Beaumont, Texas, native had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1956, which makes the setting of Thursday's ceremony all the more fitting. The Opry House holds more than 4,000 people and was expected to be filled beyond capacity.
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Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott.
Associated PressPeople, Places and Companies: George Jones, Laura Bush, Barbara Mandrell, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, Kid Rock, Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Tanya Tucker, Wynonna Judd, Charlie Daniels, Randy Travis, Tammy Wynette, Nashville
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