Did you know that alcohol addiction affects country singers, too? Which makes what happened recently somewhat amusing if you think about it.
I grew up as a child listening to 8-tracks in my parents’ car, such wonderful country talents as Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, the late Kitty Wells, Sammie Smith, Tammy Wynette and George Jones, among so many others. I grew up to become the parent of three children who indulged in their favorite genres of music. My oldest got into rap, even writing a positive rap song about me as a mom when I rolled my eyes over an artist who is famous for trashing his own. My middle one knows more about classic rock bands than I do. He has every updated CD by the Beatles, Journey, Kiss, Cheap Trick, you name it, he has their music. My younger one likes a little pop but she inherited my love for country music as well.
When Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift came out on country charts and I saw more and more young people getting into country music, I applauded. Then came the day when the great George Jones pulled his little temper tantrum and I had to take a stand as both a mother and a country music lover.
Mr. Jones, grow up.
In case you had not heard, George Jones declared that artists such as Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift "robbed" him of his identity as a country singer. Mr. Jones, you did not invent country music and you want to be fair and call a spade a spade, remember that there were those in country music who did not care a whole lot for you, either. With your alcohol addiction and your nickname "No Show Jones", do you really have a leg to stand on? Do you want to be known for your musical talent, which is awesome, or do you want to go down in your final years as a man who trashed young female singers out of something that sounds, well, like jealousy?
Personally, Mr. Jones, I loved listening to you when I was little, especially the songs you did with Tammy Wynette. My mother would put your music on and we would all dance around the living room on Friday nights. Truthfully, though, I loved listening to Marie Osmond and to George Straight and others closer to my own age, because I could identify with them. This is how I see it with Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. When I see my children and their friends listening to these singers when they prefer rap, classic rock and pop, then I see Carrie and Taylor doing what Marie and George did for me all those years ago.
You were forgiven for not showing up to all those concerts when you were drinking so much. Cut the girls some slack and relax. They are doing for my kids and their friends what you could not do. One person is not country music, especially No Show Jones.