George Strait and his dad John on the red carpet during the 2007 Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony. (Photo by Ed Rode/WireImage)

GAC extends condolences to George Strait and his family on the loss of George’s father, John Byron Strait. George’s official website posted this statement yesterday:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Tuesday, June 04, 2013) – After nearly one month of hospitalization, John Byron Strait (age 91), passed away earlier today, Tuesday, June 4. Father to iconic country music superstar George Strait, John is survived by his wife Anna; son, George Strait and his wife, Norma; daughter, Pency Edel and her husband, Lea; daughter-in-law, Denise Strait; grandchildren, George “Bubba” Harvey Strait Jr. and his wife Tamara, Kara Silva and her husband, John, John B. “Trey” Strait III, Walker Strait; great grandchildren, George Harvey Strait III, Kailey Garcia, Niessa Silva, Avery Silva and John Silva. John Byron Strait was preceded in death by son John ‘Buddy’ Byron Strait Jr. and granddaughter Jenifer Strait.

“We are grateful for Continue Reading

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George Jones photo courtesy of Webster PR.

Thousands flocked to the Grand Ole Opry to honor the memory of George Jones last week during his public memorial service. Among the many artists who paid tribute to George were Patty Loveless and Vince Gill, who took the stage together for an emotional duet of Vince’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain.”

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Vince did his best to crack a joke as he took the stage before sharing several stories and memories about George, who nicknamed Vince ‘Sweet Pea” and sent him cases upon cases of ravioli. Patty Loveless also recalled memories of George, including a time he’d gone shopping for her records.

“Brother George taught us all how to sing with a broken heart,” Vince said before they performed. “Better than anybody that ever lived.” As Vince struggled to make it through the song, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood led a standing ovation to show their support.

Watch Vince and Patty’s emotional performance below: Continue Reading

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George Jones photo courtesy of Webster PR.

Dierks Bentley often puts pen to paper to craft songs that later make their way onto albums and country radios. Earlier this week, CNN asked him to put his writing craft to work in another way by penning an opinion piece on George Jones, who passed away April 26 at the age of 81. Dierks shared his thoughts on what George meant not only to him but the word of country music.

“If you aren’t able to fully hear and appreciateGeorge Jones’ voice, you really can’t fully appreciate country music,” Dierks wrote. “His voice opens up country music’s depth and power. You feel it or you don’t. It helps to have done some living and to have had your heart broken, like George did. And it really helps if you can hang around one of its greatest singers, which I was fortunate enough to do over the years.

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At a show at the Ryman Auditorium years ago, Dierks recalled hearing bluegrass singer Peter Rowan advise that if you had a musical hero, do whatever you can to be near that person. For Dierks, that was hanging out with Terry Eldredge of The Grascals and The Sidemen, who truly introduced him to George Jones. Continue Reading

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George Jones photo courtesy of Webster PR.

George Jones’ funeral will take place on Thursday, May 2 at The Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, starting at 10 a.m. Central and will be open to the public. Doors will open at 9 a.m. GAC will broadcast the funeral service live at 10 a.m. Central, with radio partners WSM 650AM and SiriusXM Willie’s Roadhouse (Ch. 56) also broadcasting the service. GAC’s coverage will be anchored by Country Radio hall of famer Bill Cody. Fans around the world can listen online at wsmonline.com or watch online at opry.com.

The service will include music from Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill with Patty Loveless, Alan Jackson, Ronnie Milsap, Kid Rock, the Oak Ridge Boys, Brad Paisley, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, and Wynonna. First Lady Laura Bush, Kenny Chesney, Grand Ole Opry’s Pete Fisher, Governor Bill Haslam, Governor Mike Huckabee, Barbara Mandrell, and CBS News’ Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer will all make special remarks.

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George Jones photo courtesy of Webster PR.

George Jones’ funeral will take place Thursday May 2 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Open to the public, services will begin at 10 a.m. A private visitation for family, friends and fellow performers will take place on Wednesday. George passed away Friday, April 26, at the age of 81.

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“Thanks to George’s friends, fans, and loved ones for the outpouring of love at this terrible time,” George’s wife, Nancy Jones, said. “I love you all.” Continue Reading

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George Jones photo courtesy of Webster PR.

Following the announcement of George Jones‘ death on Friday, April 26 in Nashville, many of George’s fellow country stars offered their thoughts. Visit our George Jones photo gallery for photos spanning his legendary career.

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Keith Urban tweeted, “If I’m blessed enough to make it there, I look forward to you giving me the grand tour. Rest in peace George Jones!!!!!”

Alan Jackson released this statement: “Well, heaven better get ready for some great country music. While George was known for his wild and crazy days, I’ve known him for 25 years as a friend. He had grown into a real good man. Of course, he’ll always be the greatest singer and interpreter of real country music – there’ll never be another. Like the song says, ‘You know this old world is full of singers, but just a few are chosen to tear your heart out when they sing. Imagine life without them…Who’s gonna fill their shoes.’”

Blake Shelton tweeted, “Really REALLY bad news. We’ve lost a country music legend. And I’ve lost a hero and a friend. Goodbye George Jones…”

“I believe if you ask any singer who was the greatest country music singer of all time, they would say ‘George Jones’,” said Barbara Mandrell in a statement. “He was without question and by far the BEST! I first met and worked with him when I was 13 years old; I am so very grateful that he was my friend.”

Loretta Lynn said, “It’s a sad day for country music and a great loss for those of us who knew him. I was blessed to call George my friend. He was one of the best country singers there ever was. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Nancy, and all of his family. It’s a sad, sad day.”

George Strait shared this memory: “The most special memory was when he gave me my medallion at the Hall of Fame Ceremony. He actually was the one that did the actual induction. And what a special night that was. We’re just gonna miss George so much. This came as a total shock to me. I didn’t even know that George was in the hospital. To the whole music industry, it’s gonna be a big void not having George out there. But you know, we’ve got his music — and that music will live forever. He did a lot of crazy things in his career and no matter how crazy he got, everybody still loved him because that’s just the kind of guy that George was. We’re just all gonna miss him. It’s a sad day for the music business, for sure.”

“My friend, the greatest singer of all time, has passed,” tweeted Brad Paisley. “To those who knew him, our lives were full. To those of you who don’t: discover him now.”

Brad also released this statement: “George Jones’ life is an example of so many wonderful things. How someone’s God-given gifts can make this a richer, better place.  How one human being can overcome adversity, addiction, and life threatening obstacles time and time again.  That it is not the stumble or fall that counts, but the willingness to stand again. How a keen sense of humor and a twinkle in a person’s eye can still prevail even after all of life’s hard knocks.  How mistakes, missteps, and bad choices are not the end of the world if a person chooses to turn them into something good. And George’s life is above all the strongest example of how the love of a great woman can get a man through anything. All of this made its way beautifully into every note of the greatest voice country music will ever know.  And one of the greatest friends you could ever have. We miss you already, George.”

Dierks Bentley, who is still a member of George Jones’ fan club, said he’s “heartbroken,” and tweeted, “nancy and @gjpossum had a beautiful marriage and special relationship. love you nancy. long live the possum. gonna miss my buddy. real sad.”

Vince Gill tweeted, “There aren’t words in our language to describe the depth of his greatness. I’ll miss my kind and generous friend.”

Little Big Town said, “There will never be another George Jones. You are and always will be country music. Rest in peace. #GeorgeJones”

“He had a voice that was the truth, raw and unfiltered,” said Kenny Chesney. “You cant get any realer, any more tortured or any more alive. No one can do what George Jones does, and that’s why 50 years later, he still stands out as one of the greatest singers in any genre of all time.

“We were great friends, but it was really more like a father/son relationship,” added Kenny. “He even showed up in Lexington, Kentucky two years ago to surprise me onstage for my birthday… all the way from Nashville, to surprise me and sing ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ with me, which will be one of the greatest memories of my life.”

“When I was just staring out, and I was picked to open the George Jones/Tammy Wynette Reunion Tour, I thought I’d made it,” continued Kenny. “Then one night, George asked me if I was heading home because he and Nancy had a plane, and they’d take me,” Chesney recalls. “I remember sitting there on that jet, thinking, ‘This can’t be happening…’ because he was George Jones, and I was some kid from nowhere…’ I’m sure he knew, but he was generous to kids chasing the dream, and I never forgot it.” Continue Reading

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George Jones photo courtesy of Webster PR.

GAC extends condolences to the family, friends and fans of Country Music Hall of Famer, Grand Ole Opry member, and Kennedy Center Honoree George Glenn Jones, who died Friday, April 26, 2013 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. He was hospitalized April 18 with fever and irregular blood pressure.

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Born September 12, 1931, Jones is regarded among the most important and influential singers in American popular music history. He was the singer of enduring country music hits including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Grand Tour,” “Walk Through This World With Me,” “Tender Years” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the latter of which is often at the top of industry lists of the greatest country music singles of all time.

This weekend we honor George with the following programs:

• In Country Stars At Home, we’ll take you inside George’s beautiful Nashville home. It airs Friday, April 26 at 7/6C and Saturday, April 27 at 10/9C.
• Master Series features host Bill Cody’s in-depth interview with George . It airs Saturday, April 27 at 5/4C and Sunday, April 28 at 11A/10C.
• An encore airing of Opry Live: George Jones 80th Birthday. The show includes interviews and performances from Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, Jamey Johnson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Joe Diffie and more. The show airs Saturday, April 27 at 9/8C; and on Sunday, April 28 at 10A/9C and 3/2C.

“A singer who can soar from a deep growl to dizzying heights, he is the undisputed successor of earlier natural geniuses such as Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell,” wrote Bob Allen in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s “Encyclopedia of Country Music.”

Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas, and he played on the streets of Beaumont for tips as a teenager. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps before returning to Texas and recording for the Starday label in Houston, Texas. In 1955, his “Why Baby Why” became his first Top 10 country single, peaking at number four and beginning a remarkable commercial string: Jones would ultimately record more than 160 charting singles, more than any other artist in any format in the history of popular music.

Jones’ first number one hit came in 1959 with “White Lightning,” a Mercury Records single that topped Billboard country charts for five weeks. He moved on to United Artists and then to Musicor, notching hits including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Race Is On,” “A Good Year for the Roses” and “Walk Through This World With Me.”

Jones signed with Epic Records in 1971 and worked with producer Billy Sherrill to craft a sound at once elegant and rooted, scoring with “The Grand Tour,” “Bartenders Blues” and many more. Sherrill also produced duets between Jones and his then-wife Tammy Wynette, and in the 1970s they scored top-charting hits including “We’re Gonna Hold On,” “Golden Ring” and “Near You.”

By the time “Golden Ring” and “Near You” hit in 1976, Jones and Wynette were divorced, and Jones was battling personal demons. His solo career cooled until 1980, when he recorded “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” a ballad penned by Curly Putman and Bobby Braddock that helped Jones win Country Music Association prizes for best male vocal and top single. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” revived a flagging career, and Jones won the CMA’s top male vocalist award in 1980 and 1981. He also earned a Grammy for best male country vocal performance.

In 1983, Jones married the former Nancy Ford Sepulvado. The union, he repeatedly said, began his rehabilitation from drugs and alcohol and prolonged his life. He signed with MCA Records in 1990 and began a successful run, and he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. His guest vocal on Patty Loveless’ “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” won a CMA award for top vocal event in 1998, and it became his final Top 20 country hit.

In 1999, Jones nearly died in a car wreck, but he recovered and resumed touring and recording. He remained a force in music until his death, playing hundreds of shows in the new century and collecting the nation’s highest arts award, the Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime achievement, in 2008. In late 2012, Jones announced his farewell tour, which was to conclude with a sold-out, star-packed show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 22, 2013. Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, Sam Moore, The Oak Ridge Boys and many others were set to perform at Jones’ Bridgestone show.

Jones is survived by his loving wife of 30 years Nancy Jones, his sister Helen Scroggins, and by his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

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Claude King photo courtesy of Amazon.com.

Singer-songwriter Claude King, an original member of the Louisiana Hayride, has died, reports The Tennessean. According to his oldest son, Claude was found unresponsive in his bed the morning of Thursday, March 7 at his home in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was 90.

Best known for the 1962 hit “Wolverton Mountain,” Claude celebrated his birthday and 67^th wedding anniversary to his wife Barbara last month. He was an original member of the Louisiana Hayride, the Saturday night show where Elvis Presley got his start. Continue Reading

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Mindy McCready photo by JT Sumner, courtesy of Music City News.

Mindy McCready’s life and memory will be honored with a memorial service on March 6 in Nashville at the Cathedral of the Carnation at 4 p.m. Lorrie Morgan, Bryan White, Bekka Bramlett and more will perform during the service.

To celebrate Mindy’s life, the cathedral will be adorned with flowers. A fund for Mindy’s sons, Zayne and Zander, is currently being established and generosity can be expressed via a pledge card in lieu of flowers. The service is open to Mindy’s family, close friends and music industry peers. Continue Reading

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Mindy McCready photo by JT Sumner, courtesy of Music City News.

GAC extends condolences to the family, friends and fans of Mindy McCready. E!Online reports Mindy, 37, died today from an apparent suicide. Nashville’s Fox 17 News reporter Stacy McCloud confirmed the death.

Following the January 13 suicide of her boyfriend, David Wilson, 34, Mindy’s already-troubled life got worse. Her two children, Zander, 6, and Zayne, 9 months old, were taken from her home in Heber Springs, Ark., by authorities.

“Mindy needs to get help and we all care and love her and we want her to get the right help so she can move on. She is in a bad state right now, depressed and unhappy. It is not good,” a source told E! News.

As the news of Mindy’s passing spread across the Internet, country stars tweeted and posted their thoughts and prayers.

“Dang, sad to hear about Mindy McCready…..she had a tough run, hate to hear it had to end like this…prayers,” tweeted Brett Eldredge.

“So so sad and unfortunate to hear about the loss of such a talented woman. RIP Mindy McCready,” said Katie Armiger.

“Very sad to hear about Mindy McCready. When I was in Lonestar she was our label mate and we were friends. A tragic end to a talented life,” tweeted John Rich.

“Really really sad to learn the news about Mindy McCready. I will pray for her children and I hope that people are gentle with her memory,” said Chely Wright.

“So sad to hear about Mindy McCready today,” said Jason Michael Carroll. What a talented but sad soul. My thoughts & prayers are with her family.”

“So so sad to hear about Mindy McCready,” Terri Clark posted. “Had some fun times with her back in the day. Lets respect her memory and wish her soul peace.”

UPDATE: The following statement from Mindy’s publicist was released February 18:

“We Hold Mindy McCready In The Light”

It is with the deepest sadness we say goodbye to an extraordinary and gifted talent, a daughter, a mother and friend, Miss Mindy McCready.

Our attention at this time is devoted to the needs and care of Mindy’s family. As Mindy spent much of her life in the public eye, we respectfully request your consideration and sensitivity to enable friends and family this time of “quiet.”

To complement formal family arrangements, preliminary plans are being made by Mindy’s “friends in music” to organize a memorial in Nashville in the coming days. We will pass along updates and information surrounding details, as they are officiated by both family and friends.

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