Friday, April 26, 2013, Nashville, TN., 12:21 p.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

I sit here, numb with shock: just found out that one of my very favorite singers in country music, George Jones, died this morning at the age of 81.  He had been having issues with irregular blood pressure and pneumonia and other things; know death is inivitable, but it doesn't lessen the impact one bit.

I grew up with George Jones' music.  My daddy, Armand, loved him, and so did my motther.  He could milk the emotion out of a song for all its worth; he made people feel the words.  He may have had a bad reputation at times in his longstanding career, but there was no denying his talent.  He was truly a living legend in every sense of the word.

The first time I saw George Jones perform, our first two kids that we adopted, Johnny and Ronee', were little bitty.  I have been hooked on him ever since I was a child, and to see him live in concert was one of my biggest thrills.  I shall never forget it as long as I live, especially when I got to meet him.  He was very nice to me and my family.

We have since seen him many other times, the last time being five years ago.  Even then he had charisma and electrified the crowd.  Everybody at the concert venue roared and was on their feet from the time George was introduced onto the stage until the last chords were played during his closing number.  The electricity didn't let up one bit.  It was incredible.

Now George Jones has gone on home to glory, leaving Nashville in a state of numbness and disbelief.  It's as if a big, dark grey cloud has settled over the city and people wear frowns or tears on their faces: the impact of George's death has left many a Nashvillian reeling.  We can't believe that it is possible, but reality tells us otherwise.

My heart breaks for Nancy, his beloved wife, and for his immediate family; it also breaks for his closest friends (Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Mark Chesnutt, Brad Paisley, countless others), as well as for his millions of fans all over the world.

Country music will never be the same ever again, now that the King of the Sad Country Songs has flown home to sing in Heaven's Choir.  It is truly a loss of monumental proportions; George Jones' death will probably be felt for a very long time to come.  And people will probably be wondering who will carry the torch for traditional country music and try to live up to George Jones' standards.  It will be very interesting to see ...