George Jones still rocks the honky tonk
by Sadie Jo Smokey, Outpost staff
- It's not every day I get to watch a legendary performer live, here in Reno. In fact, this is the first concert I've seen in a casino, and it was great. George Jones, a legend in country music, performed two shows at Silver Legacy Resort Casino.
The "Possum" entertained young and old at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino. Photo by Sadie Jo Smokey
Tickets to this concert were a gift to my brother Rollin who has loved singing George Jones songs for years.
Country music performer Cletus T. Judd, the "Round Mound of Sound" opened the show with some white-trash comedy and spoofs on popular country songs.
"I take some of the greatest country music of the nineties and ruin it," he said explaining his music.
Judd is a big man and he made fun of his girth as well as popular country performers.
"I'm not related to the Judds, though I might as well be. I'm the same size as Wynona," Judd joked. "No, she's a little bigger."
Before Judd introduced the Jones Boys band, he said he wanted the audience to help him convince Jones to perform an original Cletus T. Judd song.
"While I've been on tour with George, I've been talking to him about performing a song I wrote, I think it fits his style," Judd said. "It's called, 'Daddy got a new mule because Momma wore his old ass out.'"
The audience laughed and then cheered as the Jones Boys from Nashville started playing.
"There's that crying guitar," said my mom. "We must be in the right place."
The Jones Boys played a Vince Gill song and Alan Jackson's "Don't Rock the Juke Box." The audience was hyped up and Jones came out and sang, "High-Tech Red Neck." His silver hair shined and his trademark black tuxedo looked sharp.
Jones was polite thanking the audience after each song and saying, "Bless your hearts" and remdinging them that if it wasn't country music, then it wasn't George Jones.
Jones said he had the lights on so he could see the audience as he performed. After jammin on the guitar to, "Race is On," he said he was a little out of breath.
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"We've got some altitude here tonight," Jones said. "You'll have to forgive me if I'm winded. It's still hard to get up here and sing."
After each song he joked a little with the audience.
"My wife Nancy loves coming to Reno," Jones said. "She loses more money than I can make."
The Grand Exposition Hall, where Jones performed had a center stage and two large screens on each side of the room so audience members in the remote $25 seats could look at the live action on the screen.
During one point of the show a woman from the audience walked up to the stage and left a beer for Jones.
"A mean woman just came up and left a Coors on the stage," Jones said. "I ain't drank in almost a year. I'm getting too old for that stuff. I'm old fashioned. I'm gonna stick to my guns."
The audience cheered and began shouting requests for the "possum" to perform.
In the middle of his speech, a man in the audience shouted, "Cold Hard Truth!"
Jones responded, "I told you to wait in the truck!"
He performed a song I haven't heard before, but the audience seemed to like as Jones shook his hips and imitated an angry wife.
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The "Possum" still has the prettiest hair in country music. Photo by Sadie Jo Smokey |
"I got a song here that all the girls usually like, "Jones said introducing the song. "They love to get their man home and tell him, 'I'll give you something to drink about.'"
It made the audience laugh and Jones seemed to enjoy himself.
I think the youngest audience member was my 16 year-old brother Romaine, who tagged along just for a trip to the big-city. A lot of the men in the room had gray hair and cowboy hats.
Women sitting behind us were screamin and hollerin' I was waiting for a drink to get spilled on me.
"You're gonna be hoarse in the morning," Jones said to the rowdy crowd.
I was surprised by how many of the lyrics I knew to the songs. I suppose growing up listening country music, I heard the songs, I just didn't know they were George Jones.
"The only difference between sinners and saints, is one is forgiven and the other one ain't."
Then George played "Step Right In" and I knew my brother's night had been made. It's one thing to sing your favorite song to the radio or CD and another to sing along as George Jones is singing it himself, to you and your family.
Jones shared his appreciation with the audience and reminded them to share -- their winnings, that is.
"I love y'all too," Jones said. "Y'all gonna win some money tonight. And remember, you're supposed to split the money with me if you win some."
The man with the prettiest hair in country music ended his show with an obvious favorite among his old-timer audience.
"You get up in the morning and some times, nothing is going right so you jump up real quick like and say, 'I don't need no rockin' chair!'" Jones started wiggling around and tapping his feet as he sang his last song.
What I liked best about the show was the time I got to spend with my brother. We walked up to the stage and I took a picture of Rollin standing in front of Jones. The atmosphere was laid back and for once no one was teasing me about listening to "old" country music.
Sure Tim McGraw and the Dixie Chicks are great, but something I heard someone in the audience say is true, the saying should be "If it ain't George Jones, it ain't country music."
Posted March 17, 2000
Copyright 2000 Nevada Oupost