To me, George Jones represented the heart and soul of Country Music. I was just starting high school when his first big hit, “Why Baby Why” came out. That was almost sixty years ago and “the Possum” has been a musical companion ever since. From vinyl 45’s through 8-tracks and cassettes and on through C.D.s. and youtube, George Jones bared his deepest feelings in what is surely the most heartfelt singing that has ever been recorded. We have those hundreds of amazing recordings to keep us company until that day when we hear George in that Great Honkytonk on the Other Side of this life. He is there for sure, probably the best singer in the Heavenly choir.

To a lot of us, George also represented the authenticity and integrity of traditional country music, as opposed to the bubblegum stuff we are hearing so much of these days. I grew up on Hank Williams and Ray Price and Loretta Lynn and others like Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard, Tammy  Wynette and Lester Flatt. When we are on the road now, the radio is usually tuned to XM/Sirius 56, “Willie’s Roadhouse.” That’s where the good stuff is. And whenever they play a song by the Possum, I’m reminded of Waylon’s line, “If we could all sing like we wanted to, we’d all sound like George Jones.”

Yep, he was the best. My way of remembering George and his kind of music is to offer up a memorial bumper sticker. We were driving to Memphis when I thought about a bumper sticker that simply says, “Possum Lives”. You can get them from Cooter’s Place or from cootersplace.com, and I think they might make a nice little inexpensive gift for the George Jones fans you know. And I bet you know a few.

He lived a hard, up and down life. But in the end, he overcame his demons and found genuine happiness. And he came to understand that it doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down that matters. What matters is that you keep getting back up. In the end, George was a winner. His sobriety and happy marriage meant a lot more to him than all those hits. Rest in Peace, Possum.

~ Ben aka “Cooter”

5-7PM Ben Jones and Cooter’s Garage Band CONCERT

http://www.1000islands-clayton.com/visitorinfo/?page_id=56

They’ll be here July 6, 2013. Get your tickets early, its sure to be a sell-out. On sale now at The Yellow Barn by calling 540-477-2432.

Don’t miss this great performance with Cooter, the lovely and talented Lisa Meadows and Cooter’s Garage Band!

Several generations of “Dukes of Hazzard” fans will gather in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, June 8th to celebrate “Dukes of Hazzard Fan Fair” with the entire cast of the show. The event, which coincides with the CMA Music Festival, will be centered at Cooter’s Place on McGavock Pike across from the Grand Ole Opry.

“It’s not often that we can all get together like this,” says Ben Jones, who played the sidekick mechanic “Cooter” on the ever popular international hit. “But it is a thrill for us and a big kick for the fans when we do!”

Dukes of Hazard Reunion Highlights from Elliott Dunwody/Bright Blue Sky on Vimeo.

Several generations of “Dukes of Hazzard” fans will gather in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, June 8th to celebrate “Dukes of Hazzard Fan Fair” with the entire cast of the show. The event, which coincides with the CMA Music Festival, will be centered at Cooter’s Place on McGavock Pike across from the Grand Ole Opry.

“It’s not often that we can all get together like this,” says Ben Jones, who played the sidekick mechanic “Cooter” on the ever popular international hit. “But it is a thrill for us and a big kick for the fans when we do!”

John Schneider (Bo), Tom Wopat (Luke), Catherine Bach (Daisy), James Best (Rosco), Sonny Shroyer (Enos) and Rick Hurst (Cletus) will join Jones for the day’s events, which will culminate with a Hazzard Hoedown concert at the Nashville Palace featuring the whole cast onstage with Cooter’s Garage Band.

“We haven’t all been together in Nashville since our DukesFest celebrations in 2006 and 2007. They were the largest fan gatherings for any film or television show ever. One year we had over 100,000 folks show up at the State Fairgrounds. This festival is intended to be smaller and a little more laid back than that, so hopefully everyone will get all those autographs!”

The Music Valley area around Cooter’s Place will host a Hazzard County Car Show, with scores of General Lees, Hazzard Police Cars, Daisy Jeeps, and Boss Hogg’s Cadillacs. There will be a “Hazzard Youngun’s Area with children’s activities and lots of things to jump up and down on,” Jones adds.

“So its cars and stars and music”, says “Cooter”. “Just like Hazzard County and a perfect family event for a Nashville weekend. See y’all there!”

Get your tickets for the Dukes of Hazzard Fan Fair below or click here.

If planning to attend Nashville Palace Duke’s Concert (Sat Night) you must purchase concert ticket separately.

Attention Hazzard County Cars Owners: Bob Scott is managing our Hazzard County Car Show and Swap Meet at Dukes Fan Fair in Nashville June 8. Vintage memorabilia and car parts only can be sold at the Swap Meet… absolutely no current merchandise! Contact Bob for more details or if you plan to bring a show car at (765) 341-6949 or send him an email —- junknbob@hotmail.com – Thank You.

Hotels:

Comfort Suites
600 Red Ink Drive
Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
615-206-3310
$125 plus tax – to receive this special rate mention DUKES when calling
www.choicehotels.com/hotel/tn5

Red Roof Inn Nashville North
110 Northgate Drive
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
615-859-2537
$89.99 plus tax
www.redroofinn.com

Courtyard by Mariott
865 Conference Drive
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
(615) 851-3000
$149 plus tax
(limited availability on Friday, June 7)
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/BNAGV-Courtyard-Nashville-Goodlettsville

Rodeway Inn & Suites
1300 Plaza Drive
Smyrna, TN 37167
(615) 355-6161
$65.99 plus tax
http://www.rodewayinn.com/hotel-smyrna-tennessee-TN538

The Nashville Hotel
201 Crossings Place
Antioch, TN 37013
$110 plus tax – to receive this special rate mention DUKES when calling (rooms normally $179)
615-731-2361
www.thenashvillehotel.com

After an overflow crowd packed the Yellow Barn at Shenandoah Caverns, Virginia for the “Shenandoah Jamboree” in January, Ben “Cooter” Jones has announced a monthly schedule for the event, which features Jones along with “Cooter’s Garage Band” and a number of country music legends.

“The schedule is easy to remember,” says Jones. “The show will be on the first Saturday night of each month, from April through November. Even ol’ Cooter can remember that!”

Jones and the band, featuring vocalist Lisa Meadows, have been crisscrossing the country for fourteen years playing festivals and fairs to crowds as large as 50,000. “We’ve played everything from parking lots to the Grand Ol’ Opry,” says Jones, “and slowly but surely we’ve gotten ourselves a national reputation.”

“So we are very excited to be able to play in our own backyard at a venue as unique and convenient as the Yellow Barn. The Barn is a perfect place for our kind of traditional family show, and it is right off of Interstate 81 at exit 269. I have a feeling that this is the start of something that could be around for many years.”

Jones says that Grammy winning country star Linda Davis will be the special guest on Saturday, April 6^th. Besides her megahit duet “Does He Love You?” with Reba McIntyre, Davis is also known for hits like her chart topping “Some Things Are Meant To Be”.

“She’s a great singer and a great lady,” says Jones. “We’re also already working to schedule folks like T. Graham Brown and the incomparable Dr. Ralph Stanley. And of course, our friends from the ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ will be showing up from time to time.  Plus, a big part of our show will feature top talent from this area, which has always been a haven for great picking and singing.”

Jones is also in talks with a cable network about televising the “Shenandoah Jamboree”.

For tickets call Shenandoah Jamboree at 540-477-2432 ($15 children 5 and under are free) .

1pm-3pm