The Battle(The Life and Death of George Jones)

I remember reading a review of George Jones album "The Battle" many years ago in Rolling Stone magazine. The album, recorded shortly after his divorce from Tammy Wynette, was a chronicle of love lost and a marriage is ashes. The review went something like this: "the album cover(see picture at right) shows a an empty bed with 2 cowboy boots at the foot of the bed and a sense of loss and loneliness all around. The picture seems to say it all, and then, he begins to sing..." In my opinion, George Jones is the greatest country singer of all time. His rich, booming voice capable of a thundering bass or a soaring tenor had uncommon range. His songs are some of the greatest in not just country music history, but the history of all music. Jones could do a lovelorn ballad, a catchy, hook ridden pop song, a boozy honky tonk rouser or a gospel hymn with equal adeptness and true artistry. His career spanned 60 years and he was the definition of what classic country music is and was for most of that career. But Jones, like so many of our stage, screen, sports and music heroes was a walking contradiction. His remarkable critical and commercial success as a performer was haunted by a personal life marred by substance abuse which spanned most of his life and an inability to sustain personal relationships. Jones was a heavy drinker, who once got a DUI on a riding lawnmower after his drivers license was suspended, and also was a user of cocaine and prescription pills. His continual abuse of such things led to great personal pain and multiple divorces, the most famous from fellow country icon the afor mentioned Wynette. Jones life was yet another of uncountable examples of where addiction leads and the pain it causes, not just to ourselves, but also those we love the most. In the title song of that album, "The Battle," the anguish in Jones voice is heartbreaking. He loved Tammy with all his heart, and knew it was because of his substance abuse issues that divorce had come. In short, in his personal life, Jones was his own worst enemy. Some may call the behavior narcissistic. Others tragic and sad. In spite of his emmense God given talent and well deserved success, Jones life, in the end, was marred by personal pain and unfulfilled promise. Jones has always been one of my personal favorites. In my life before Christ, when I was bound by many of the substance abuse issues that haunted Jones, I sang many of his "drinking" songs around late night campfires. When I became a Christian I truly came to appreciate his skill and seeming joy in singing gospel songs, most of them classics we've sung in churches for years. When my dad died he had a George Jones gospel CD on play in his truck. I can honestly say I loved George Jones the singer as he brought great joy to me through his craft. But as I look back at this "greatest" of country singers, I can't help but feel sad. Was George Jones a Christian? Will I meet him in heaven? I can't judge his heart so I simply don't know. Unlike other artists, such as Johnny Cash, who also fought their battles with substance abuse, Jones had no real Christian testimony I am aware of. Cash was a vocal Christian who witnessed his faith to millions even through his struggles. I will say this, the grace of God is greater than we could ever know. If Jones truly had Jesus in his heart, I know he is in heaven right now. If he did not however, the words of Jesus ring in my ears as clearly as the voice of my all-time favorite singer. "What good does it do a man to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul." Jones found fortune and fame here on earth. I just hope his nickname here on earth, "no show Jones," will not be his epitaph in eternity.