s  My “George Jones” story

Back in either 1989 or possibly 1990 I was able to go back stage and meet country singer George Jones in Winston-Salem NC. The show included George, Conway Twitty and Vince Gill. I had drawn a portrait of George for the occasion and paid $49 to have a local business professionally frame the drawing. That in itself was something to me because I didn’t have two dimes to rub together at the time – but yet I paid “Betty Hobbs arts and Frames”  for their service.

  Well the big night came and I was dressed to impress – I had an air-brushed picture of George on my T-shirt so that I could hopefully show him just how big of a fan I was of his. I was led backstage by a representative of WTQR Radio Station (after being placed with them by Ken Marcinowski of “Show-Pros”) along with some folks who had won the opportunity to go backstage and I was really nervous. George came out of his dressing room, met the others before getting to me and the first thing he said to me (when seeing the drawing) was, “I hope I don’t look like that”, then, “but that does look better than the T-shirt”. Dang my heart just about busted … I wanted so much to impress George but he was anything but impressed!

  Well about that time, another country music artist named “Merle Kilgore” came out but didn’t hear George’s negative comments on my artwork, and as he looked over George’s shoulder he slapped George on the shoulder saying,”George – that young fella nailed you! (I was about 30 back then and still considered as young). George said, “you really think so Merle???” Merle said, “George, when folks see George Jones – That’s exactly what they see!”. I tried to take a picture of George and wanted to have someone shoot one of he and I together, but in my obvious brain deadness – I had the camera on automatic and the lens clicked to “manual” so the camera wouldn’t work at all. George signed a dollar bill (the only paper I had on me was a few ones) and to this day it is one of my prized possessions! 

  Well about that time out came Conway Twitty and Vince Gill (two other artist that I really love to hear) , but instead of standing there and getting to meet them both – I was so “bummed out” that George didn’t like my drawing that I just turned around and walked back out front for the show where we had front row seats. A man named “Webb Friend” who was over the George Jones concessions – saw my T-shirt from where he was set-up just left of the stage and several times thru the night asked about my shirt. I finally traded him the shirt for a George Jones VCR tape which I still have.  Several months later I went to an outdoor concert at Pilot Mountain, NC held by WTQR and billed as the “Family Reunion” as they a bunch of bands lined up that were going to be on-stage over the course of the day. My wife and I were Keith Whitley fans and were looking forward to seeing him. He died earlier in the week before the concert was to be held on Saturday (our luck again). But while there I noticed that “Webb Friend” was working for Lee Greenwood selling his T-shirts and such.

  I approached him and remarked that ,”I thought you worked for George!?”  He pretty much waved me off (not recognizing me immediately) I ain’t nobody so I turned and walked away, I’d gotten about 15-20 feet away when I heard Webb hollerin’, “Hey, Hey, Air-Brush Man” (he didn’t remember my name) … I walked back to him and he said, “you was askin’ why I wasn’t working’ for the old boy” … “You’re the reason I ain’t working for him!” … I said, “He didn’t fire you for buying that T- Shirt did he?” He said , “naw – you remember that picture you done of the old boy?” … I said,”I won’t ever forget that one” … He said, “Neither will George” , after you left backstage he went to everybody in the band, also Vince and Conway’s band and even the caterers who were feeding us that night asking all of them what they thought and all agreed that it looked just like him … After the show he even showed it to the roadies tearing down the stage and asked all of them about the picture and every one of them said that ,”when someone sees you that’s exactly what they’re seeing” … Well, George went out and had a big facelift (according to Webb) and took enough hide off of the old boy to make a wallet. He spent somewhere between $25,000 and $27,000 and can’t sing or even smile for 3 months so that he can heal up tight, and Greenwood picked me up for a few months so that I’d have a paycheck.”

 I really felt bad that he saw something in the picture that he didn’t notice or like when looking at a mirror. But ain’t that something … up to that time I’d never made more than $25 off of a drawing, but he’d spend $27,000 or so to get over one of my drawings …THIS STORY IS 100% TRUE …

  I Loved George Jones … he died several years ago and I was fortunate to have met him and especially to meet Nancy Jones, George’s wife. I talked with her for about 25-30 minutes the night of the concert and she was such a nice person. So approachable, so down to earth. George was fortunate beyond words to find someone such as her and to have in his life. I have no doubt in my mind that all the way up to his death – she was, is,  and will always be the Greatest George Jones fan alive. We love you Nancy and hope only the best for you !!!