Author Topic: The Life of George Jones Part 1: “My Wife Nancy Saved Me From Murderous Drug Dealers” (1996)  (Read 3469 times)

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Offline Rapunzel

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http://www.countryweekly.com/magazine/vault/life-george-jones-part-1-my-wife-nancy-saved-me-murderous-drug-dealers-1996

The Life of George Jones Part 1: “My Wife Nancy Saved Me From Murderous Drug Dealers” (1996)
Part one of a two-part sample from George’s autobiography.
George Jones | Published: Apr 16, 1996

Originally published in the April 16, 1996, issue of Country Weekly featuring George on the cover. This story is presented here in its entirety.

George Jones’ dramatic autobiography, I Lived to Tell It All, reveals the incredible courage of his wife Nancy, who fought to save him from a cocaine hell. She won her battle, even though ruthless cocaine pushers tried to murder her and even kidnapped her teenage daughter. Here, especially for Country Weekly readers, is the first installment of a two-part series from the compelling new book, which will be published May 6.

God should give all of the angels a name, and each should be called Nancy.

No teenage boy ever fell harder for a girl than I fell for Nancy Sepulvado. When I met my future wife on a blind date in November 1981, I had no idea that someday she would save my life.

It wasn’t long before Nancy realized I was on cocaine. I got high one night and hit her, but Nancy forgave me. She believed there was a “devil” living inside of me and she was determined to get the devil out.

Nancy, her teenage daughter Adina and I were living in Muscle Shoals, Ala., when Nancy heard that drug dealers had taken out a life insurance policy on me.

Nancy figured they would try to kill me through an overdose. To protect me, she rarely left me by myself. She’d send Adina for groceries, even though Adina wasn’t legally old enough to drive.

Nancy’s only ally was a guy named “Big Daddy,” a nightclub owner who knew the drug peddlers. He would tip her off whenever the pushers managed to get me alone.

Nancy often walked in just as the hoods were shoveling cocaine up my nostrils, while I sat there in a helpless haze, like a zombie. The hoods quickly grew to hate Nancy.

Big Daddy warned her these men wanted her out of my life . . . permanently.

One night, Nancy was driving across a bridge over a river, with Adina beside her, when suddenly another car began ramming her car from the rear. Nancy lost control, and her car veered toward the railing. Nancy and Adina were terrified that they’d crash through the rail and plunge to their deaths.

Nancy desperately struggled with the wheel. She turned sharply left—right into the face of oncoming traffic. Each time she was about to have a head-on collision, she’d swerve to the right, only to have the car behind ram her again and try to knock her off the bridge. Finally, Nancy got over the bridge, then the mysterious car behind her roared away.

After that, my bouts with paranoia, common with cocaine users, got worse. I was convinced my enemies were stalking me. I would bolt the doors and windows and sit with a loaded pistol, waiting for them to burst through the doors and try to kill Nancy and me.

I’d go to sleep at sunrise. I felt safer then. Nancy would then slip out the door to drive Adina to school.

One day, she was getting ready to pick up Adina at school when the phone rang. “Nancy,” said a sinister voice, “we want to come over and see George.”

Nancy recognized the voice of one of the drug pushers and told him to go to hell.

“But what about Adina?” the man asked.

“What do you mean?” Nancy said.

“We have her,” he said.

The line went dead.

Nancy’s daughter had been kidnapped by drug dealers wanting to get to me. Nancy lost it. She began to cry and scream.

We both knew there was no use calling the police because they were in bed with the criminals. Then the telephone rang again. This time it was Big Daddy. He told Nancy that Adina was safe with him inside his nightclub. I warned Nancy that it might be a setup, but all she could think about was her daughter was in trouble. Nancy would march into gunfire for anyone she loved. So she drove to Big Daddy’s dive and burst in the door yelling, “Where is my girl?” I think Nancy had a pistol in her purse.

Big Daddy signaled her and she walked over to him. There, tucked under the bar, sat a frightened Adina. I think Big Daddy had given her popcorn and Coca-Cola.

When Nancy and her daughter came safely home, she put her key in the lock, but the door eased open by itself. While she was rescuing Adina, the thugs had come by and mercilessly crammed cocaine up my nose until I was out of my mind.

Later, we decided to slip out of Alabama by dark of night. But suddenly red lights came on behind us, sirens blared and police cars forced our car to the curb.

“Out of the car!” a cop yelled at Nancy. “You ran that last red light.”

When Nancy called him a liar, the cop spun her around and slammed her against the car. Nancy was kicking and screaming as he handcuffed her. We were hauled to jail and Nancy was thrown into a cell.

“How much are they paying you crooked cops?” she demanded. When an officer told her to calm down, she spat on him through the bars. “George,” she said, “Don’t you realize what they’re going to do? They’re going to leave me in this cell and take you somewhere and fill you full of cocaine.”

I was driven by uniformed officers to the recreation hall. On the table in a back room I saw a familiar sight—a pile of cocaine. I was pushed into a chair while someone stood on each side of me, shoveling tiny spoonfuls of the powder up my nose and yelling at me to inhale harder. Then I was taken back to the jail.

Without explanation, Nancy was released and ordered to take me home. When the jailer opened her cell, she kicked him until another officer grabbed her, and she kicked the hell out of him, too. Yet no charges were filed. Obviously, the cops put her in a cell only so they could take me to their bosses and pump me full of cocaine.

That night, Big Daddy told Nancy what he’d said earlier about certain people in Alabama holding a fat life insurance policy on me. Sometime later, when we were living in Louisiana, we got a call informing us that Big Daddy’s head was found in a parking lot—detached from his body! His murder remains unsolved to this day.

And still, Nancy stayed with me.

I quit drinking and using drugs because I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. My body and mind gave out, and I gave in to anybody or anything that would help me get sober.

I got so far down that I would have been willing to move to a reservation and eat herbs and roots if that would have guaranteed sobriety. But I didn’t have to do that. I only had to yield to a good woman’s love.

They say love can change the world. I’m here to testify that it changed one man. Friends, family, doctors, therapists and ministers had tried to save me, but to no avail. But finally the power of love from one woman, Nancy Jones, made the difference.

snip......
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline Rapunzel

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This isn't much different than Johnny Cash and June Carter and her parents standing guard over him and his house with guns while they got him sober........

�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline sinkspur

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I'm sorry, but George Jones doesn't stand in the shadow of George Strait or even Alan Jackson.

He and Merle Haggard destroyed brilliant careers with drugs and booze.   Strait is a team roper for a hobby.
Roy Moore's "spiritual warfare" is driving past a junior high without stopping.

Offline jmyrlefuller

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I'm sorry, but George Jones doesn't stand in the shadow of George Strait or even Alan Jackson.

He and Merle Haggard destroyed brilliant careers with drugs and booze.   Strait is a team roper for a hobby.
Jones would be the first to tell you you are right. However, I'd argue that once he sobered up, he made a pretty nice comeback for himself. His 1990s work, which was done completely sober, was great.

He got pretty darn lucky in the early 1980s, when his career and life hit rock bottom. He never did get over the regret of losing Tammy Wynette... hooked on drugs... his career flaming out... and stuck trying to record a song he absolutely hated and, for the life of him, could never master. Well, he found Nancy, he forced himself to sober up, and that song ended up being "He Stopped Loving Her Today," a huge hit that saved his career.

Of course, I mean no offense to Strait, who himself is one of the greats.
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Offline Rapunzel

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There is any number of brilliant entertainers who have gotten caught up in drink and drugs... and some manage to turn their lives around before they are 30-feet under..Stevie Nicks is one.... and in her case while she started her drug abuse on her own, after rehab it was a doctor who got her hooked and almost killed her with prescription drugs.... Robert Downey, Jr. is another...brilliant actor who is lucky to be alive today..... seems to have a happy and stable life, now.  Johnny Cash was saved in much the same way as George Jones by June Carter.....  some people  are toxic to each other -  George Jones and Tammy Wynette are a great example.  People are human and many fight demons in their lives..
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Online DCPatriot

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Quote

........People are human and many fight demons in their lives..


Most creative people fight demons. 

I'm going on 67 and still jump on my bed from the doorway.   



"It aint what you don't know that kills you.  It's what you know that aint so!" ...Theodore Sturgeon

"Journalism is about covering the news.  With a pillow.  Until it stops moving."    - David Burge (Iowahawk)

"It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living" F. Scott Fitzgerald

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http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/jones.html

Vince Gill and Patty Loveless' Emotional Performance
at the Funeral of George Jones
"It aint what you don't know that kills you.  It's what you know that aint so!" ...Theodore Sturgeon

"Journalism is about covering the news.  With a pillow.  Until it stops moving."    - David Burge (Iowahawk)

"It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living" F. Scott Fitzgerald

Offline Rapunzel

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http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/jones.html

Vince Gill and Patty Loveless' Emotional Performance
at the Funeral of George Jones


One of my favorite Vince Gill songs, I have on my iPod.  Thanks for posting.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline Rapunzel

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http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615/1560506/george-jones-funeral-alan-jackson-wynonna-kid-rock-laura-bush-and

George Jones Funeral: Alan Jackson, Wynonna, Kid Rock, Laura Bush and More Say Goodbye at Opry Memorial

By Chuck Dauphin, Nashville | May 02, 2013 2:08 PM EDT

Brad Paisley performs at the funeral service for George Jones at The Grand Ole Opry on May 2, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee.


George Jones performed hundreds of times at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House – whether on the WSM Radio show, or appearing on such shows from the auditorium like the CMA Awards, so it's only appropriate that this morning's funeral has turned out to be a farewell fit for a country king.


Open to the public, fans started lining up yesterday for a chance to say farewell to the artist known as "The Possum." Famous friends who either spoke or performed during the 2 hour, 40 minutes-long service included Kid Rock, Travis Tritt, Alan Jackson, Patty Loveless, former First Lady Laura Bush and others.


WSM announcer Eddie Stubbs welcomed the crowd to the Opry House, and proceeded to introduce longtime family friend Tanya Tucker and the Imperials, who performed a beautiful version of the Gospel classic "The Old Rugged Cross," ending the performance by saying "I'm gonna miss you, Possum." Tucker was one of several acts that was slated to perform with Jones on his final concert – which was slated for November 22 in Nashville.

Nashville radio personality Keith Bilbrey spoke next, followed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam who praised the singer for being an ambassador to the state of Tennessee.

Pastor Mike Wilson was next on the hallowed stage, who asked for prayers on behalf of George's family and friends. Bilbrey then introduced a pair of artists who had deep ties to Jones. The first was Randy Travis, who relayed a story to the crowd about a concert date where Jones persuaded Travis to close for him. It was a Travis duet , "A Few Old Country Boys," that brought Jones his final top ten entry on the singles chart in 1990. With simply an acoustic guitar on his lap, Travis performed "Amazing Grace."

The Oak Ridge Boys followed Travis with a performance of "Farther Along." The legendary foursome appeared with Jones on his 1982 top ten record "Same Ol' Me." One of Jones's fellow Texans, CBS News personality Bob Scheiffer, was next to eulogize the singer. He recalled listening to Jones on the airwaves of the Grand Ole Opry, and said that though everybody wanted to sing like George Jones, ‘You couldn't sing like George Jones...if you weren't George Jones.' He also relayed memories of his growing up years as relayed to him by Jones in an interview. Scheiffer also commented that in 2008, Jones was a little concerned about attending the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony where he was going to be celebrated because "He didn't think people in Washington didn't like country music, and wouldn't know who he was."

A couple of Jones' fellow Grand Ole Opry members were next in the program. Charlie Daniels walked onto the stage, recalling the first time he heard the voice of George Jones, and also cited the influence he has had on so many artists over the years. Daniels also told a story about longtime producer Billy Sherrill saying that Jones was "the only singer who could make a five-syllable word....out of ‘church." He then grabbed his guitar, and offered a simple yet moving version of "Softly And Tenderly."

Travis Tritt – one of many stars who appeared on Jones' 1992 hit "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" - was next, performing Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me, Lord," which Jones also recorded. He also spoke of the love George felt for Nancy, recalling a conversation where Jones told him "She's my angel."

One of Nashville's favorite "angels," Barbara Mandrell was next on the stage. Visibly moved, Mandrell – his duet partner on 1981's "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool," told the crowd that Jones would always be the "Greatest singer of all time in Country Music, and there would never be anyone to fill his shoes."  She also shared an anecdote about meeting Jones at age 13. Mandrell – a teenage prodigy on the steel guitar – talked about the fact that Jones didn't have a steel player on the bill – so he asked her to play the instrument during his performance. "George left his lasting imprint on my heart...all of our hearts. He sang for you and me, and now he's singing in glory for the one who gave him that voice. Hallelujah," she said.

Kid Rock might have been an unlikely participant in the ceremony, but the singer about an incident where Jones had asked him to write a song for him – one that he never finished. The singer talked about how difficult it can be to be married to a performer, and performed an original song called "The Best Of Me."

Frequent Jones collaborators Vince Gill and Patty Loveless were next on stage. Jones gave Gill his "Sweet 'Pea" nickname, and Loveless had covered many Jones records over the years – including her first top ten single, "If My Heart Had Windows," from 1988 – which featured Gill on harmony. Gill recalled touring in his early years with Jones and Conway Twitty – and having to perform with Jones opening, and Twitty closing. Loveless talked about covering a few Jones songs on her Sleepless Nights record in 2008 and George and Nancy driving around town trying to find it. A clerk at a record store said 'We'll get on it, Mr. Jones." The two then combined their talents for an emotional performance of "Go Rest High On That Mountain," with both artists crying throughout – bringing the capacity crowd to their feet.

Former First Lady Laura Bush was introduced by Stubbs. Bush thanked Nancy for allowing her to speak at the service. "Nobody made music like a man from East Texas like George Jones," she told the crowd to applause. She recalled putting quarters in the jukebox to hear Jones' 1964 hit "The Race Is On." She also spoke of the meetings between her husband and Jones – in 2003 when he was presented the National Medal of the Arts, and 2008 during the Kennedy Center Honors – recalling the former President working on his treadmill to "White Lightning."

Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley was brought to the stage by Bilbrey next, and he encouraged those watching the funeral who weren't familiar with his legacy to seek out his music, and 'find out what this ruckus is about. It's worth it." He then proceeded into Tom T Hall's classic "Me And Jesus."

Opry GM Pete Fisher followed Paisley, adding that "If you were visited by an alien from another planet, and were asked about country music, you would play them George Jones." Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee approached the podium next. He called getting to say goodbye to Jones "One of the greatest honors of my life." He also relayed what it would have meant to his father had he known he had played music with Jones on his FOX TV show. "George Jones did not sing to us.... He sang For us," said Huckabee.

Ronnie Milsap was then introduced next, saying "We're all here because we loved George Jones," before kicking off a soulful version of his 1969 hit "When The Grass Grows Over Me," a song that he called "the saddest song he had ever heard." After Milsap left the stage, Stubbs introduced Kenny Chesney, who recalled the first Jones song he ever heard was "Who's Gonna Chop My Baby's Kindlin" at his grandmother. He cited the singer as father figure, who he opened for early on in his career. "I came here today to tell Nancy I love you....and I will miss him so much."

Wynonna Judd – a neighbor to the Jones family for many years – recalled Jones sitting in the front row at Tammy Wynette's 1998 memorial service while she performed "How Great Thou Art" before  her performance of the song. Judd also recalled that her first concert ever was Jones and Merle Haggard, and also praised...his hair. "The most perfect hair I've ever seen in my life," she quipped.

Wilson appeared on the stage next with closing remarks. He recalled being introduced to Jones as a youngster through his 1985 hit "The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)." He also recalled when he and his wife adopted two daughters from Haiti, that Jones and Nancy asked them to bring them over. "We talked throughout the years, and no matter how you knew him....life didn't stop for George on Friday. It started." Wilson concluded his message by quoting John 14, ending with a prayer.

Being the funeral of country's most-respected singer, it was fitting that the service ended with a song – but not just any other one. Alan Jackson took to the stage with a somber performance of the song that defined Jones' career - "He Stopped Loving Her Today," ending the song by removing his hat in honor of his mentor.

With that 'wreath upon his door' that the lyric of the song speaks of, Jones made his final exit from the Opry House to the strains of his recording of "When The Last Curtain Falls." A procession would escort his casket to his burial place at Woodlawn Memorial Park, with his band serving as pallbearers. The funeral lasted for over two and a half hours – a fitting send off to one of music's most legendary figures.

« Last Edit: May 05, 2013, 02:58:26 am by Rapunzel »
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline Rapunzel

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/05/02/eleven-things-we-learned-at-george-jones-funeral/2130319/

Eleven things we learned at George Jones' funeral

Brian Mansfield, Special for USA TODAY9:10 p.m. EDT May 2, 2013

Thursday's funeral revealed stories beyond the legends about the man Vince Gill says "taught us all how to sing with a broken heart."


NASHVILLE — The friends and fellow performers who spoke at George Jones' funeral repeated many of the well-known stories about the country singer's life. He once drove a mile and a half to a liquor store on a riding lawn mower. After years of battling alcohol and drug abuse, he finally turned around his life after a near-fatal 1999 auto accident. He could sing a country song like no one else who ever lived.

"He was more than a country singer, he was a country song," said Face the Nation moderator Bob Schieffer, one of eight speakers at the funeral. "And it was never an easy one."


Thursday's service, which drew thousands of family, friends and fans to the Grand Ole Opry House, also revealed lesser-known stories about the man whom Charlie Daniels called "the most imitated country singer of all time." Some of the best takeaways:

    Jones never got over being nervous on the Grand Ole Opry stage, especially those times when he was introduced by the late Roy Acuff.

    Jones almost turned down his signature hit, He Stopped Loving Her Today, feeling that it was too sad.

    Jones loved Raisin Bran but hated raisins. His wife, Nancy, would pick them out of his cereal for him.

    Jones would get in his car and drive around town when he felt like he needed some attention.

    Jones considered turning down his Kennedy Center Honor in 2008, believing that people in Washington, D.C., didn't like country music and wouldn't know who he was.

    George W. Bush liked to work out to Jones' White Lightning in the White House gym.

    Wynonna Judd sang How Great Thou Art at the 1998 funeral of Jones' ex-wife Tammy Wynette, with Jones sitting in the front row. She sang the same song Thursday at Jones' service.

    During an early 1960s Johnny Cash package tour, Jones asked a 13-year-old Barbara Mandrell to back him on steel guitar, along with Cash's Tennessee Three.

    Kid Rock started writing a song for Jones but never finished it and never played it for him. "I'll just give you a little bit of it," he told those attending the service before he performed Best of Me. "I may be a little slower, but I'm still 12 steps ahead of you/ I spent a lifetime getting sober, and I wondered if you know/ That now I'm spending my days without the bottle/ High on love with you."

    Jones cried after Alan Jackson surprised the Country Music Association Awards audience in 1999 by segueing into Jones' hit Choices after performing his own song.

    Jones called Vince Gill "Sweetpea." "At first, I wasn't so sure about it," said Gill, who would choke back tears as he performed his song Go Rest High On That Mountain with Patty Loveless. As the nickname grew on Gill, he realized, "anytime I would go anywhere and somebody called me Sweetpea, I knew it was because they loved George Jones."
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776