APTN National News
Country music superstar George Jones, who rose to stardom with chart toppers like White Lightning and He Stopped Loving Her Today, has died. He was 81.
The Texas-born singer was in the middle of a year long farewell tour that was to wrap up in Nashville this fall.
The man known as the “The Possum” was supposed to play in Canada last year until doctors ordered him to take a break due to health reasons.
“I thank all the fans from the bottom of my heart for their prayers and I look forward to seeing them on the road soon,” Jones said at the time in a statement.
Jones battled alcohol and drug addictions throughout his career and was known for his wild reputation in the country music world.
Sometimes his rough living led to him having another nickname: “No-Show Jones” for blowing off concert dates.
Jones had No. 1 songs from the 1950s to 1990s.
He won a Grammy in 1981 for He Stopped Loving Her Today and again in 1999 for Choices.
In 1992, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Jones was born Sept. 12, 1931 and the youngest of eight children
