It is really great when the country music community can watch the annual Kennedy Center honorees, complete with the president of the United States.  Only this time it is George Jones. George is certainly worthy to share the honors on a show with a star-studded cast of actor Morgan Freeman, Barbara Streisand, Twila Tharp, and Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who. Looking at this list, none can compare with Jones, considering the years he has been a star and the years that the industry has appreciated his work.

Granted, he had some rough spots on his journey but he was strong enough to ride through it, along with loving help from his wife Nancy. How well I remember some of the laughs he presented to a lot of us in the early years. At times, we’d laugh when the scene wasn’t really that funny. I’m sure Jones looks back over his career and remembers Houston music legend, Pappy Daly, the man that brought George to the attention of radio stations and record buyers all over the nation.  George’s early success was on Musicor Records and later Mercury. Since that time, he has been on several different labels.

Everybody in the industry loves George Jones, including a lot of program directors at radio stations across America. As sad as it sounds, country radio is finished with George Jones. Ditto Merle Haggard and many others. Haggard will be here in the Spring for the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame dinner. I hope George Jones will join Hag on stage for a song or two.