Travis pays tribute to Jones
Randy Travis says he was devastated by the death of fellow country legend George Jones because they had a lot in common: music, hellraising and wild women.
Travis has been hampered in recent years by a series of drunken run-ins with police, jolts in jail and a series of unfortunate mugshots.
The Nashville icon was at home when he learned that Jones had died in April, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The death of Jones — affectionately known as The Possum — didn’t come as a surprise, but that didn’t dull its cutting effect.
“We had a lot in common,” Travis told the Sun-Times. “Both of us are obviously just country boys who came up through years of playing at nightclubs before actually having a record deal. We were both, no doubt, traditionalists all the way through. And I learned so much about singing from George Jones just by listening to him.
“There was a stretch of years where every hit he had, I was learning them to sing in clubs.”
But in addition to the stellar musical canon, Jones and Travis also shared a love of drinking and brawling, Travis said. Jones emerged from his dark years of disappointment hailed as perhaps the greatest country singer of all time.
Travis told the Sun-Times he also hopes his problems are behind him.
“I think that we all have to deal with certain setbacks and issues throughout our lives,” the singer said. “But, despite the challenges, I’m making my way back to where I want to be.”
Now 54, Travis has returned to the road — and he’s paying tribute to his idol with Tonight I’m Playin’ Possum.
“I had a request through Warner Brothers to record the song as a tribute to George Jones, and after listening to it, I wanted to very much,” Travis said.
“It’s just a wonderful piece of writing. And what I wanted to accomplish by doing it is simply what it is — a tribute to George. ... I thought a lot of him.”
Despite recent setbacks, Travis has also had a storied career in country music. More than 25 million records; 22 No. 1 hits; six No. 1 albums; six Grammys; and a litany of other trophies.
“I love what I do onstage now more than ever,” Travis said.