george jones tour bus

VIDEO: Go Inside Country Music Legend George Jones’ Tour Bus

It’s no secret that George Jones was one of the baddest dudes in country music.

Among the number one hits and sold out shows, he had a wild streak. He was as known for some of his off-stage antics, as he was for his hits. One time, he even demanded to headline for Buck Owens , and when Buck said “no,” he went out and opened the show with Buck’s entire setlist. And of course, the infamous lawn mower story… yep ol’ Possum was one of a kind.

As one legend goes , he shot holes in his tour bus with a gun to “ventilate” it this one time. He literally shot the floors, walls and ceilings with a gun to encourage air flow and cool the bus down.

And while he may have been a wildcat in his younger days, there’s an old video from back in 2004 where he shows off his current tour bus. Joined by his wife Nancy, their back-and-forth banter about things such as the necessity of having a built-in washer and dryer is too good:

“…the only reason George doesn’t like it is ‘cuz he doesn’t wash and I do, so yes, I love the washer and dryer… don’t pay him no mind”

“I love monkeys, so we have monkeys on here,” she says and George confirms, replying “That’s why she married me… is what you told me”.

They’re honestly relationship goals.

At the end, George remarks that he didn’t used to travel that way when he first started out. The bus shown in the video is absolutely beautiful, and the country music icon obviously earned it.

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George Jones & Wife Give Fans “The Grand Tour” Of His Bus

YouTube/badboy4948

There’s nothing quite as luxurious as a country megastar’s tour bus and The Possum proves that nobody’s bus holds a candle to his with this full-fledged tour of his rockstar home on wheels!

In 2004, together with his wife Nancy, George Jones gave fans a complete walkthrough of his magnificent tour bus that is big enough to house an entire family. The red and gold road monster stands tall behind Jones who explains various aspects of the bus from his lawn chair set in the shade of an old oak tree.

Nancy pulls up in a small ATV alongside the bus and joins in the conversation as the two enter the bus’s front door and begin describing all the fantastic amenities that it provides.

Jones speaks highly of the massive television adorning the front of the bus, squarely placed in front of a comfy recliner that he says he spends most of his time in.

“I’m a TV nut!” he revealed enthusiastically.

While Jones is in love with the television setup on the bus, his wife is rather pleased with the addition of a stackable washer and dryer unit. She then leads cameras to the rear of the bus where a hidden television slides up out of the wall at the foot of the bed. This is where she likes to take in her own shows while Jones is hogging the front TV.

For all the amazing features and lush elegance that George and Nancy Jones had installed in their huge tour bus, watch the video below!

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A Look Inside George Jones’ Tour Bus From 2004

YouTube/badboy4948

There’s nothing quite as luxurious as a country megastar’s tour bus and The Possum proves that nobody’s bus holds a candle to his with this full-fledged tour of his rockstar home on wheels!

In 2004, together with his wife Nancy, George Jones gives fans a complete walkthrough of his magnificent tour bus that is big enough to house an entire family. The red and gold road monster stands tall behind Jones who explains various aspects of the bus from his lawn chair set in the shade of an old oak tree.

Nancy pulls up in a small ATV alongside the bus and joins in the conversation as the two enter the bus’s front door and begin describing all the fantastic amenities that it provides.

Jones speaks highly of the massive television adorning the front of the bus, squarely placed in front of a comfy recliner that he says he spends most of his time in.

“I’m a TV nut!” he revealed enthusiastically.

While Jones is in love with the television setup on the bus, his wife is rather pleased with the addition of a stackable washer and dryer unit. She then leads cameras to the rear of the bus where a hidden television slides up out of the wall at the foot of the bed. This is where she likes to take in her own shows while Jones is hogging the front TV.

For all the amazing features and lush elegance that George and Nancy Jones had installed in their huge tour bus, watch the video below!

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Mike Judge Presents: Tales From the Tour Bus

One of the pioneers of rock'n'roll, Jerry Lee Lewis also happened to be a country music singer who liked to call himself "The Killer." He made a name for himself not just as a magnetic piano-playing singer, but also as an impulsive, gun-wielding wild man, who stoked epic rivalries with the likes of Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley. The Killer also notoriously married his 13-year-old second cousin, setting off an epic worldwide scandal.

He was a poor boy from a bootleggers' town in the Texas backwoods. She was a cotton-picking Mississippi girl dreaming of stardom in Nashville. Together, George Jones and Tammy Wynette became the first power couple in country music. They were perfect in the public eye, but their tumultuous relationship was punctuated by George's alcohol-fueled escapades and his paranoia over Tammy's romantic past. She tried to keep the marriage from turning toxic, singing 'Stand By Your Man,' her greatest hit, onstage with her husband every night.

By all accounts, Billy Joe Shaver should never have made it in country music. A poor Texas kid from a broken family, he lost three fingers in a sawmill accident before ever writing a song. Despite his physical challenge, Shaver landed in Nashville as a singer/songwriter with hard luck songs about real life. A chance meeting with Waylon Jennings in the back of a peanut trailer led to the breakthrough 'Outlaw' album Honky Tonk Heroes, featuring Waylon singing songs written by Billy Joe. A decade later, Shaver made a name for himself after shooting a man at a roadside tavern for allegedly talking to his soon-to-be ex-wife. The gun play led to a celebrity trial and a shocking verdict. And, of course, Billy Joe wrote a song about it.

A lover of shotguns, gumbo, and traveling to gigs on his private jet, James Brown – nicknamed "Mr. Dynamite"--was renowned for his infectious voice and unbelievable dance moves, earning a reputation as the hardest-working man in show business. Between his womanizing ways, perfectionist attitude and daredevil style, he built an empire that went far beyond entertaining, often alienating musicians and business partners along the way. With hit singles like "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud," Brown reached new heights within the black community in the tumultuous 1960s, capturing the attention of the FBI along the way.

At the height of his fame, James Brown reigned supreme as the king of funk, the first voice and innovator of a brand new musical genre. Behind the scenes, Brown was a taskmaster, feuding with rivals as well as members of his own band. By the 1980's, the work ethic that propelled him to superstardom began to take its toll. Compromised by his own bad decisions, Brown was eclipsed by a new generation of stars trying to follow in his footsteps. Despite falling off the Billboard charts, the king of funk never lost the showmanship that made him a legend.

One of the biggest characters in funk history, Morris Day was an aspiring drummer who became the embodiment of "cool."  The iconic frontman might have had a different life altogether, if not for his childhood friend, Prince Rogers Nelson. Morris made a Faustian bargain with the future superstar, and the result was Morris Day and the Time. The band skyrocketed to the top with hits like "Jungle Love," but resentment festered and the rivalry between the two singers reached a breaking point. Years later, a reunion show at Prince's Minnesota mansion brought The Time back to the stage, allowing Morris and Prince to make peace before the latter's untimely death.

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Mike judge presents: tales from the tour bus.

S1.E1 ∙ Johnny Paycheck

S1.E2 ∙ Jerry Lee Lewis

S1.E3 ∙ George Jones and Tammy Wynette (Part One)

S1.E4 ∙ George Jones and Tammy Wynette (Part Two)

S1.E5 ∙ Billy Joe Shaver

S1.E6 ∙ Waylon Jennings (Part One)

S1.E7 ∙ Waylon Jennings (Part Two)

S1.E8 ∙ Blaze Foley

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Country superstar George Jones dead at 81

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — When it comes to country music, George Jones was The Voice.

Other great singers have come and gone, but this fact remained inviolate until Jones passed away Friday at 81 in a Nashville hospital after a year of ill health.

“Today someone else has become the greatest living singer of traditional country music, but there will never be another George Jones,” said Bobby Braddock, the Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter who provided Jones with 29 songs over the decades. “No one in country music has influenced so many other artists.”

He did it with that voice. Rich and deep, strong enough to crack like a whip, but supple enough to bring tears. It was so powerful, it made Jones the first thoroughly modern country superstar, complete with the substance abuse problems and rich-and-famous celebrity lifestyle that included mansions, multiple divorces and — to hear one fellow performer tell it — fistfuls of cocaine.

He was a beloved and at times a notorious figure in Nashville and his problems were just as legendary as his songs. But when you dropped the needle on one of his records, all that stuff went away. And you were left with The Voice.

“He just knows how to pull every drop of emotion out of it of the songs if it’s an emotional song or if it’s a fun song he knows how to make that work,” Alan Jackson said in a 2011 interview. “It’s rare. He was a big fan of Hank Williams Sr. like me. He tried to sing like Hank in the early days. I’ve heard early cuts. And the difference is Hank was a singer and he was a great writer, but he didn’t have that natural voice like George. Not many people do. That just sets him apart from everybody.”

That voice helped Jones achieve No. 1 songs in four separate decades, 1950s to 1980s. And its qualities were admired by more than just his fellow country artists but by Frank Sinatra, Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello, James Taylor and countless others. “If we all could sound like we wanted to, we’d all sound like George Jones,” Waylon Jennings once sang.

Word of his death spread Friday morning as his peers paid tribute.

Merle Haggard put it best, perhaps: “The world has lost the greatest country singer of all time. Amen.”

“The greatest voice to ever grace country music will never die,” Garth Brooks said. “Jones has a place in every heart that ever loved any kind of music.”

And Dolly Parton added, “My heart is absolutely broken. George Jones was my all time favorite singer and one of my favorite people in the world.”

In Jones’ case, that’s not hyperbole. In a career that lasted more than 50 years, “Possum” evolved from young honky-tonker to elder statesman as he recorded more than 150 albums and became the champion and symbol of traditional country music, a well-lined link to his hero, Williams.

Jones survived long battles with alcoholism and drug addiction, brawls, accidents and close encounters with death, including bypass surgery and a tour bus crash that he only avoided by deciding at the last moment to take a plane.

His failure to appear for concerts left him with the nickname “No Show Jones,” and he later recorded a song by that name and often opened his shows by singing it. His wild life was revealed in song and in his handsome, troubled face, with its dark, deep-set eyes and dimpled chin.

In song, like life, he was rowdy and regretful, tender and tragic. His hits included the sentimental “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes,” the foot-tapping “The Race is On,” the foot-stomping “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair,” the melancholy “She Thinks I Still Care,” the rockin’ “White Lightning,” and the barfly lament “Still Doing Time.” Jones also recorded several duets with Tammy Wynette, his wife for six years, including “Golden Ring,” ’'Near You,” ’'Southern California” and “We’re Gonna Hold On.” He also sang with such peers as Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard and with Costello and other rock performers.

But his signature song was “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” a weeper among weepers about a man who carries his love for a woman to his grave. The 1980 ballad, which Jones was sure would never be a hit, often appears on surveys as the most popular country song of all time and won the Country Music Association’s song of the year award an unprecedented two years in a row.

Jones won Grammy awards in 1981 for “He Stopped Loving Her Today” and in 1999 for “Choices.” He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992 and in 2008 was among the artists honored in Washington at the Kennedy Center.

He was in the midst of a yearlong farewell tour when he passed away. He was scheduled to complete the tour in November with an all-star packed tribute in Nashville. Stars lined up to sign on to the show, many remembering kindnesses over the years. Kenny Chesney thinks Jones may have one of the greatest voices in not just country history, but music history. But he remembers Jones for more than the voice. He was picked for a tour with Jones and Wynette early in his career and cherishes the memory of being invited to fly home on Jones’ private jet after one of the concerts.

“I remember sitting there on that jet, thinking, ‘This can’t be happening,’ because he was George Jones, and I was some kid from nowhere,” Chesney said in an email. “I’m sure he knew, but he was generous to kids chasing the dream, and I never forgot it.”

Jones was born Sept. 12, 1931, in a log house near the east Texas town of Saratoga, the youngest of eight children. He sang in church and at age 11 began performing for tips on the streets of Beaumont, Texas. His first outing was such a success that listeners tossed him coins, placed a cup by his side and filled it with money. Jones estimated he made more than $24 for his two-hour performance, enough to feed his family for a week, but he used up the cash at a local arcade.

“That was my first time to earn money for singing and my first time to blow it afterward,” he recalled in “I Lived to Tell it All,” a painfully self-critical memoir published in 1996. “It started what almost became a lifetime trend.”

The family lived in a government-subsidized housing project, and his father, a laborer, was an alcoholic who would rouse the children from bed in the middle of the night to sing for him. His father also noted that young George liked music and bought him a Gene Autry guitar, with a horse and lariat on the front that Jones practiced on obsessively.

He got his start on radio with husband and wife team Eddie & Pearl in the late 1940s. Hank Williams once dropped by the studio to promote a new record, and Jones was invited to back him on guitar. When it came time to play, he froze.

“Hank had ‘Wedding Bells’ out at the time,” Jones recalled in a 2003 Associated Press interview. “He started singing it, and I never hit the first note the whole song. I just stared.”

After the first of his four marriages failed, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1951 and served three years. He cut his first record when he got out, an original fittingly called “No Money in This Deal.”

He had his first hit with “Why Baby Why” in 1955, and by the early ‘60s Jones was one of country music’s top stars.

“I sing top songs that fit the hardworking, everyday loving person. That’s what country music is about,” Jones said in a 1991 AP interview. “My fans and real true country music fans know I’m not a phony. I just sing it the way it is and put feeling in it if I can and try to live the song.”

Jones was married to Wynette, his third wife, from 1969 to 1975. (Wynette died in 1998.) Their relationship played out in Nashville like a country song, with hard drinking, fights and reconciliations. Jones’ weary knowledge of domestic warfare was immortalized in such classics as “The Battle,” set to the martial beat of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

After one argument, Jones drove off on a riding mower in search of a drink because Wynette had taken his car keys to keep him from carousing. Years earlier, married to his second wife, he had also sped off on a mower in search of a drink. Jones referred to his mowing days in the 1996 release, “Honky Tonk Song,” and poked fun at himself in four music videos that featured him aboard a mower.

His drug and alcohol abuse grew worse in the late ‘70s, and Jones had to file for bankruptcy in 1978. A manager had started him on cocaine, hoping to counteract his boozy, lethargic performances, and Jones was eventually arrested in Jackson, Miss., in 1983 on cocaine possession charges. He agreed to perform a benefit concert and was sentenced to six months probation. In his memoir, “Satan is Real,” Charlie Louvin recounts being offered a fistful of cocaine by Jones backstage at a concert.

“In the 1970s, I was drunk the majority of the time,” Jones wrote in his memoir. “If you saw me sober, chances are you saw me asleep.”

In 1980, a 3-minute song changed his life. His longtime producer, Billy Sherrill, recommended he record “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” a ballad by Braddock and Curly Putnam. The song took more than a year to record, partly because Jones couldn’t master the melody, which he confused with Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” and partly because he was too drunk to recite a brief, spoken interlude (“She came to see him one last time/And we all wondered if she would/And it kept running through my mind/This time he’s over her for good.”)

“Pretty simple, eh?” Jones wrote in his memoir. “I couldn’t get it. I had been able to sing while drunk all of my life. I’d fooled millions of people. But I could never speak without slurring when drunk. What we needed to complete that song was the narration, but Billy could never catch me sober enough to record four simple spoken lines.”

Jones was convinced the song was too “morbid” to catch on. But “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” featuring a string section that hummed, then soared, became an instant standard and virtually canonized him. His concert fee jumped from $2,500 a show to $25,000.

“There is a God,” he recalled.

Italie contributed from New York.

• Country Music
• George Jones
• Tammy Wynette

The Meaning Behind “The Grand Tour” by George Jones Hit a Bit Too Close to Home

by Jim Beviglia January 23, 2024, 6:47 am

Country music has always been associated with songs of sadness. It makes sense then that George Jones was such a legend of the genre,. Nobody has ever been able to transmit sadness across the airwaves quite like he did.

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Getting deep inside the tragedies and misfortunes of his songs might have been a little easier for Jones than most. He was often living through some circumstance in his own turbulent life that related almost directly to the lyrics. Case in point: “ The Grand Tour ,” a masterpiece of melancholy that features Jones hitting every nuance and twist in a brilliantly crafted piece of material. Let’s look back at how this country classic came to be and learn the meaning behind “The Grand Tour” by George Jones.

Getting Grand Again

George Jones dominated the ’60s in terms of the country music charts. But by the time the decade turned over, he was scuffling a bit to find the touch. While many blamed the never-ending drama in his personal life for the dip, Jones himself felt that his work wasn’t getting properly handled by his producers and record executives, which is why he decamped for Epic Records.

Jones thought that Epic’s Billy Sherrill was just the guy to transform his work, but their first few records together didn’t do much. To make matters worse, Jones’ wife at the time, Tammy Wynette, was pretty much the queen of the genre. In an interview with Billboard in 2006, Jones spoke about how it took Sherrill a while to understand just how to approach Jones’ vocal stylings.

“He just came up with that sound like he got with Tammy [Wynette], [sings] ‘Ba bum ba bum ba bum,’ build-ups, and it was a little more updated, I guess,” Jones remembered. “He tried to do that with me, but I finally had a talk with him. I said, ‘Billy, I’m country, I’m traditional, I know you’re wanting to cross over with me like you have with Tammy, Charlie Rich and those people, but I’m hardcore and I can’t help it. That’s what I feel, and I can’t do a good job for the label, you or anybody else if I don’t feel it myself.’ I had no problem after that, we’d go in and he got me a good sound. I used my fiddle and steel and good country pickers, and I guess I really just lucked up a little bit on finding the songs.”

Stranger Than Fiction

One of those songs that Jones found was a beauty written by Norro Wilson, George Richey, and Carmol Taylor. And, as was so often the case with Jones, he found himself singing about a subject that hit very closet to home. “The Grand Tour” is a song about a breakup, and, about the time he recorded it with Sherrill, his own marriage to Wynette was crumbling. Bizarrely enough, co-writer Richey would later marry Wynette in a twist that not even Jones’ most devastating songs of woe could have imagined.

If Sherrill had struggled initially producing Jones, he certainly got it just right with “The Grand Tour.” It’s clever how each section begins with Jones singing a cappella, only to be answered by a piano that almost seems to be mocking him before the whole band kicks into gear. Pete Drake provides inimitable support on steel guitar. As for Jones, listen to how he sounds genial at the beginning of each verse as he talks to the stranger, before his emotions get the better of him as he talks about his wife’s departure.

What Is “The Grand Tour” About?

“The Grand Tour” is structured as if the narrator were a real estate agent conducting an open house for potential buyers. But it quickly turns into something different when he explains that, Some things I know will chill you to the bone are waiting inside. From there, he goes through the inventory: a chair, a bed, a photo of the pair, and finally, her rings, all her things/And her clothes are in the closet .

To each of these is attached a bittersweet memory of happier times. When he shows the stranger the picture of her, he can’t help but ruminate on what might have been: Don’t it look like she’d be able/Just to touch me and say, ‘Good morning, dear.’ But since she’s gone forever , that’s an impossibility.

[RELATED: Behind the Song: George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”]

Alternative Take

It should be noted that some fans of the song believe that “The Grand Tour” doesn’t depict a divorce, but instead a scenario where the wife has died along with their child in some accident. That’s a bit of a gruesome take on it in our opinion, but the important thing is the emotion conveyed by Jones as he brings it all home: As you leave you’ll see the nursery/Oh, she left me without mercy .

“The Grand Tour” proved a massive comeback hit for Jones upon its release in 1974, and helped point the way to another monumental collaboration with Sherrill in “ He Stopped Living Her Today .” You don’t need to have lived through that kind of sadness to relate to the song, because George Jones’ performance made sure we could wallow in it with him for the course of those gloriously sorrowful three minutes.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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New Video Emerges of Elle King’s Controversial Dolly Parton Tribute

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10 Badass George Jones Moments

Trigger History ACE , Alan Jackson , Bobby Braddock , CMA Awards , Dolly Parton , Don Chapel , Frank Sinatra , Garth Brooks , George Jones , Hank Williams Jr. , He Stopped Loving Her Today , Johnny Cash , riding lawnmower , Tammy Wynette , The Association of Country Entertainers , Vince Gill , Waylon Jennings , Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes --> 44 Comments

George Jones. The Possum. Possibly the man whose life and story embody the themes of a country song better than anyone. From rags to riches, back to rags, and eventually onto rehabilitation and redemption, George Jones was a man that faced demons more fierce than any of us can imagine, and eventually came out on top. Was he a badass? You bet, and here’s 10 reasons why.

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1. Flipping the Dinner Table at Tammy Wynette’s House

“I felt rage fly all over me,” Jones said in his autobiography. “I jumped from my chair, put my hands under the dinner table, and flipped it over. Dishes, utensils, and glasses flew in all directions. Don’s and Tammy’s eyes got about as big as the flying dinner plates.”

George professed his love for Tammy right then and there, and the country music couple were soon married.

2. Helping To Found ACE — The Association of Country Entertainers

George Jones was never considered an Outlaw, but he participated in one of the most significant precursors to country music’s Outlaw revolution in the mid 70’s. Some know the story of Charlie Rich burning the envelope announcing John Denver as Entertainer of the Year at the CMA’s in 1975, but it was the year prior when the stink had begun about performers outside of the country genre walking away with the industry’s accolades. Olivia Newton-John’s win in 1974 for Female Vocalist of the Year caused such a stir that traditional and even pop-leaning country performers at the time organized behind the acronym “ACE” that stood for “Association of Country Entertainers”.

Spearheading ACE was George Jones and then wife Tammy Wynette, and the inaugural meeting of ACE was held at their Tennessee residence. Other participants in ACE included Dolly Parton, Bill Anderson, Porter Wagoner, Faron Young, Conway Twitty, Hank Snow, Mel Tillis, Barbara Mandrell and more than a dozen others. ACE demanded more representation of traditional artists on the CMA’s Board of Directors, and more balance on country radio playlists (does any of this sound familiar?).

Just how successful ACE was can be argued, but it was the precursor to future organizations looking to restore balance and better representation from the CMA, and helped usher in country music’s Outlaw movement and the return to a more traditional sound that the mid 70’s saw in country.

3. Riding a Lawnmower to the Liquor Store

The first and most well-documented lawnmower incident was the late 60”²s. George Jones was living 8 miles outside of Beaumont, TX with his then wife Shirley Ann Corley. Jones had experienced a few #1 hits by that time, and his success fueled his wayward ways with alcohol. He was drinking so bad, his wife Shirley resorted to hiding all the keys to the vehicles before she would leave the house so George wouldn’t drive to the nearest liquor store in Beaumont.

But that didn’t stop him. After tearing the house apart looking for a set of keys one time, George looked out the window to see a riding lawnmower sitting on the property under the glow of a security light. “There, gleaming in the glow, was that ten-horsepower rotary engine under a seat. A key glistening in the ignition, ” George recalled in his autobiography. “I imagine the top speed for that old mower was five miles per hour. It might have taken an hour and a half or more for me to get to the liquor store, but get there I did.”

The second, lesser-known incident of George Jones’s escapades on a riding lawnmower happened when he was married to Tammy Wynette. Taking a cue from George’s previous wife Shirley, Tammy hid all the keys from George, but George had been down that road before. Wynette woke up one night at 1 AM to find George missing. “I got into the car and drove to the nearest bar 10 miles away,” Tammy recounted in 1979. “When I pulled into the parking lot there sat our rider-mower right by the entrance. He’d driven that mower right down a main highway. He looked up and saw me and said, `Well, fellas, here she is now. My little wife, I told you she’d come after me.’”

The George Jones lawnmower incidents later went on to be memorialized in many country videos, including Hank Williams Jr.’s “ All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight ,” Vince Gill’s 1993 hit “ One More Last Chance ”  that includes the line, “She might have took my car keys, but she forgot about my old John Deere,” and John Rich’s “ Country Done Come to Town ,” and George’s own “ Honky Tonk Song .”

4. Recording “He Stopped Loving Her Today”

Yes, it could be easy to highlight George’s signature song and say it was awesome for him to cut it, but the story behind “He Stopped Loving Her Today” goes much deeper. The song not only saved George’s career, it potentially saved his life, and all of this is from a song that at first he didn’t want to record because he thought it was too depressing, too long, and nobody would play it. It eventually became his first #1 in six years, salvaged his career, introduced him to a new generation of fans, and solidified his place as one of country music’s biggest ever superstars. Jones himself says about it, “A four-decade career had been salvaged by a three-minute song.”

Written by Country Music Hall of Famer Bobby Braddock (who you can argue would not be a Hall of Famer if it weren’t for the song), along with Curly Putnam, “He Stopped Loving Her Today” went on to spend 18 weeks at #1, won the Grammy for Best Male Country Performance in 1980, both the ACM for Single and Song of the Year, and was the Song of the Year from the CMA’s for 1980 and 1981. After George’s death, the song re-entered the charts at #21. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” deserves to be in that elite class of songs that can be argued are the greatest country music songs of all time.

5. Being The Best Male Duet Partner in the History of Country Music

When you have the best voice in country music, your services as a duet partner are going to be called on early and often. And despite George’s body of solo work being worthy of a Hall of Fame career, his work as a duet partner is unparallelled itself. Country music stars young and old, male and female lined up to take advantage of his voice over many decades, and duets accounted for five of the fourteen #1 hits George had over his storied career. Here’s a rundown of just some of the people George performed duets with over the years:

”Tammy Wynette ”Loretta Lynn ”Buck Owens ”Waylon Jennings ”Willie Nelson ”Johnny Cash ”Dolly Parton ”David Allan Coe ”Jerry Lee Lewis ”Hank Williams Jr. ”Patty Loveless ”Lynn Anderson ”Emmylou Harris ”Ricky Skaggs ”Garth Brooks ”Tracy Lawrence ”Charlie Daniels ”Marty Stuart ”Merle Haggard ”Ralph Stanley ”Randy Travis ”Vince Gill ”Alan Jackson ”Sammy Kershaw ”Shelby Lynn ”Mark Chesnutt ”Travis Tritt ”Barbara Mandrell ”Brenda Lee ”Shooter Jennings ”The Staple Singers ”Keith Richards ”B.B. King

6. Walking out of the CMA Awards

Ahead of the 1999 CMA Awards, George Jones was enjoying yet another resurgence in his career. Jones was slated to perform the song “Choices” on the CMA’s, but when producers insisted he must sing an abbreviated version, he walked out of the ceremonies and boycotted the show.

In a super act of class and solidarity, Alan Jackson halfway through his performance of “Pop A Top,” stopped down and shifted gears to perform “Choices” in protest. The event has gone on to be considered one of the biggest moments of country protest in the history of the genre.

7. Recording “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?”

Throughout his career, George Jones held fast to the ideals of traditional country music, and wasn’t afraid to fight for them, or speak out about what was happening in the genre. And as one of the few artists who registered hits in multiple decades (according to Billboard, Jones had more “hits” than any other country artist), when George Jones spoke, people listened.

George’s song “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” comes from the 1985 album of the same name, and was written by Troy Seals and Max D. Barnes. It’s a poignant tribute to the history of country music and its previous greats, while calling attention to the abandonment of country’s roots. The song was so potent, the phrase “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” has become one of the most popular go-to colloquialisms concerning the state of country. The song was also a hit, rising to #3 on the Billboard country chart in 1985.

8. Overcoming His Personal Demons

Some people assume that becoming a rich celebrity solves many of your problems, when for many artists it exposes and fuels their problems. Such was the case for George Jones, who had major issues with alcohol, and later in his career, drugs. At one point in 1979, despite being one of the best-selling artists in the history of country music, he was bankrupt and destitute, living in his car, weighing around 100 pounds and living off of junk food. George spent time in mental institutions tied to his drinking multiple times and had to be straighjacketed on numerous occasions. He became known as “No Show Jones” because he missed so many engagements over his career.

But in many ways George Jone’s bad behavior only helped his reputation. His fans didn’t turn on him, they loved him more because they could relate to him and their own personal struggles, and because he was such a great artist and performer when he would show. Alan Jackson once said about Jones, “…what I like most about George is that when you meet him, he is like some ole guy that works down at the gas station…even though he’s a legend!”

9. Wanting to Die Performing

Some artists perform because they want to, others perform because they have to. In March of 2012, George Jones was hospitalized with an upper respiratory infection. The 80-year-old performer was having trouble breathing, and it was thought that he didn’t have much more time before his lungs would fail him. Instead of heading home to recuperate and potentially prolong his life, George set to planning a 60-date farewell tour, culminating in a star-studded event set to transpire at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in November of 2013 with over 50 special performers.

According to George’s wife, before he even left on the tour, he knew he would not make it to the finale. Doctors said he was in no condition to perform or tour, but he did anyway. On April 18th, 2013 George Jones was hospitalized in Nashville, missing tour dates in Alabama and Salem. He eventually passed away on April 26th, 2013 at the age of 81.

10. Having The Greatest Male Voice in the History of Country Music

• “When people ask me who my favorite country singer is, I say, ‘You mean besides George Jones?'” — Johnny Cash
• “The greatest voice to ever sing country music.” Garth Brooks
• “The second best singer in America” Frank Sinatra
• “If we all could sound like we wanted to, we’d all sound like George Jones,” Waylon Jennings
• “Anyone who knows or cares anything about real country music will agree that George Jones is the voice of it.” Dolly Parton

ACE , Alan Jackson , Bobby Braddock , CMA Awards , Dolly Parton , Don Chapel , Frank Sinatra , Garth Brooks , George Jones , Hank Williams Jr. , He Stopped Loving Her Today , Johnny Cash , riding lawnmower , Tammy Wynette , The Association of Country Entertainers , Vince Gill , Waylon Jennings , Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes

44 Comments

Great article, Trigger George was a badass indeed. I wanted to point out that one important name was left off the list of duet partners and that’s Johnny Paycheck. He also personally paid for Mr. Paycheck’s funeral though that may not constitute as “badass”.

Correction: He apparently paid for the burial plot but I may be splitting hairs at this point.

I knew a band member that was really close to George back in the 60s. As we know Johnny Paycheck worked as a Jones boy playing steel guitar. Anyway the Band members took turns driving the bus and George got his share of driving as well…. Well anyway they were drinking and Jones was driving somewhere in Virginia. the more they drank the more like liked to argue…. Well anyway Paycheck said if you pull this bus over, I will kick your lil ass. Jones said oh right by God I will” soon as he stopped and opened the door Paycheck got off and George slammed the door and floored the Bus and took off leaving Paycheck in the dust… LOL! Classic times on the bus!

He also performed with Jamey Johnson

That Johnny Paycheck story is another good one.

And just to clarify, that list of duet partners was not meant to be a complete compendium of every single one of his duets over the years, but a representation of the breadth of his duet work. A complete list would have likely been twice as long.

Great article! Loving this series of them.

Personally I think if every baby were lucky to see George Jones like I was, they would at least be cemented in listening to Country. By lucky, I mean I was born in an era where people like him, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings and Keith Whitley (I was barely even two months old when he died) had their videos being played on CMT in the early to mid 90’s when I was in my diapers. Matter of fact I still remember being in my diapers and CMT would run in my house and it would keep me quiet because I would sit there and just watch it and the first time I got exposed to Jones was “I Don’t Need Your Rocking Chair” and I honestly didn’t know what to think of his voice (because when you’re a baby sometimes people can sound funny) but I just knew I liked the song.

Now about to be 25 years old, I’m an uncle to a niece whose 3 and I can’t explain to her about me liking an artist when I was her age without getting a “nuh-uh”

When I was a wee thing, we lived too far out to get cable, so one of my monthly joys would be going to my aunt’s house in town. It had cable! It had CMT! I remember loving an hour or two of Vince, Alan, Kathy Mattea, and the like. I also remember the Rocking Chair video.

Man, it’s a shame what CMT has become, even when they do play videos these days.

Relevant to this article, I also feel the need to point out that it was through my early love of people like Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks that led me to discover George Jones. They loved him, and I was curious about my favorites’ musical heroes. I might add that it was their admiration for him that led me to that discovery, not some BS line in one of their songs about how being a drunk driver made them just like George Jones.

I love these. Not being greedy but any chance we could ever expect a David Allan Coe 10 badass moments?

I’m sure he’ll make it on to one eventually. I’m trying to keep everyone on their toes of who’s coming next. 😉

Hmmmm, an Eric Church or Blake Shelton 10 badass moments would surely keep the “boys round here” on there toes. HAHA JK. Nice work on GJ, looking forward to what you write next!!!

Has there ever been a 10 badass moments joke article?

I can only imagine how funny something like that would be for someone like Blake Shelton or Luke Bryan.

You mean like the time Luke and Blake hid Jason Aldean’s “Affliction” wardrobe from him?

I would say that a Hank Williams or David Allan Coe list should be in order, but a DAC list might be difficult because he’s probably more batshit crazy than badass, and a Hank list would probably be disturbing, violent and downright depressing. But a Paycheck badass list is a must!

Can’t wait for an article about D.A.C, but very good Job on Mr. Jones. I dind’t knew about the circumstances of getting closer with Tammy. He showed that he was a real man.

LOVE this Article. Loads of interesting facts that leave me visualizing a more “real” George Jones. His having successfully kicked alkey-hole will hopefully be an inspiration to those who are currently wasting their time, money and talent on the crap. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a few drinks myself now and then, but to start off at breakfast, all thru the day and a nitecap unfortunately changes those possessed and not for the better. What’s worse is the damage it causes in relationships…making it impossible for any kind of real closeness or advancement.

This is a great list, some of which were items I didn’t know about.

His most often told story is the riding lawn mower story and including it in this list is probably somewhat obligatory.

But it was nothing more than an incident of alcoholic pathos.

It’s what a drunk does when he has to find a drink.

When you hang around bars every night, there are quite a few seemingly funny stories being told (usually about what happened the preceding weekend), but they kind of ceased being humorous to me when it occured to me that more and more of them seemed to involve me.

Alcoholism and drug addiction seems to be endemic to the music industry, and little makes me feel better than seeing a musician I admire turn his or her life around.

I miss George (and, for that matter, Tammy) a lot.

as always Trig, great article, George Jones is one of my heroes, he died on my birthday, and that was the first thing I heard that day, despite never meeting him, or getting to see him perform, that hit me pretty hard, and like every other country singer (both young, and not so young) I played a lot of George Jones that day, and sang a few more of his songs at shows.

anyway, I just wanted to share that, and ask if that was Vince Gill presenting Alan Jackson for pop a top again?

Yep, that was Vince!

#10. You could say there’s having a voice, a range, an ability to add emotion/soul into a vocal performance and an ability to interpret a song.

The only male I’ve ever heard spoken of in such a way (reverence) by other credible singers is Roy Orbison. If you could pick between being able to sing like one or the other, man that would be a hard choice.

I’ll never forget the first time I heard George sing “It’s Been a Good Year for the Roses” as a duet with Alan Jackson. Alan kicks the song off, and I remember thinking “Wow, he really nailed this one.” Then when George picks it up, his voice older and more trail-weary than when he recorded the original, it’s like he just reaches in your chest and rips your heart out. What a gift.

George Jones is definitely one of the first things that come to mind when I think of country music, but to include #3 on the list is rather unfortunate. That’s not a “badass” moment. That is a moment of desperation for a man in the middle of a sickness. It’s unfortunate, and nothing that should be celebrated.

He certainly turned his life around, and for that he should (and is) commended. But alcoholism destroys the lives of more than just the person who is drunk, and the struggles of Shirley and Tammy in those stories prove that.

I certainly understand how you could take that approach with #3, and I don;t wholly disagree with it. However the reason I included it is not necessarily because of the drinking aspects of the story, but how it highlights his “everyday man” approach to life, like Alan Jackson said and I included in #8. And that’s also why I included #8 about his redemption, and I think that helps resolve #3 into a positive ending.

Also, I think I would have been killed by many of my readers if I hadn’t included that story, seeing how it’s probably the most popular story about George Jones.

Trigger I think George jones would think #3 would be a great example of his bad ass moments to also be a stepping stone to help others who are struggling with alcoholism that it hurt his marriage and what stupid things being drunk all the time can make you look like. Good job. That was televised and we all got to face it moves like that from a famous singer are put as entertainment on news. Its sad but it’s seems that is what America would rather see. Saw him at gilleys in pasadena so dedicated. Could not stay on stool but even on the floor je still played the hell out of good music miss all the Ole dogs haggard Jennings cash jones amd good ol hank. Keep up good work love reading sight

I saw George twice one in the mid ninties and once in the early 2000’s and with the exception of the times I’ve seen Haggard have I ever heard a better country vocal performance live. The way George bent and twisted notes and could ring out so much emotion in the line of a song was just incredible to hear in person. Good list. the med 80’s show I saw he was not happy with the sound, although out in the aduience it was good, and on mike he told the sound man to turn it up and walk away from the board or he was going to whip his ass. Classic George.

A true legend. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a song of his that I didn’t like. Nobody will ever fill his shoes.

He was THE country music singer, best there ever was.

Charlie Daniels said it best at George Jones funeral:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U71MvIIdXLQ

What more can I say about the man. Thanks for the music. And thanks for the great read again, Trig.

Just so I understand, when they wanted an “abbreviated” version of the song, did they just want it cut shorter or did they want the lyrics revamped as well?

I don’t really know for sure, but usually when an awards show wants you to cut your song short, they usually want you to sing the first verse into the first chorus, then maybe recycle the chorus again and get the hell off stage. So it is usually 2nd or 3rd verses that get axed.

Good article. What a badass moment that was when Alan Jackson walked off the stage after Choices. Chills.

Jones is the legend and always will be!!!

“Wood and Wire” should qualify as #11. Great list though. I found myself in the same room as Mr. Jones when I was a 19 yr. old bus boy at Red Lobster in Lakeland, FL. I think I’ve said it around here before, but like all other dumbass kids then I was really into hard rock/metal exclusively. Even at that I knew who the giant was and was too chicken shit to approach him.

No problem with the lawnmower story. It was part of who he was. Lots of people struggle with alcohol and drugs. Those things are everywhere around us.

It’s pretty easy to fall into that trap.

I’m not familiar with a lot of his music, but”¦. I really like the song he did with Jamey Johnson and Blackberry Smoke.

It’s brilliant.

Great mini biographies. Have to thank you for all of this.

Great Mini Biography. I have loved George Jones and his music for more than 50 years. He was the greatest singer ever. His music will never fade.

Charlie Parr has a song called Riding Mower Blues from his Jubilee album thats basically all about George’s lawn mower escapades. it’s a great song and i threw it up on youtube yesterday if anyone is interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9okTTLFxNw

Hey Trigger, reading this and thinking about Tammy Wynette having to deal with George in his wild substance abusing days makes me wonder if maybe we could see a female version of this series. While their may not be as many female candidates and the incidents would be slightly different perhaps I think you could come up with some cool things for Tammy, Loretta Lynn, JC Cash and a couple others.

There will definitely be some women featured. In fact I’m a little embarrassed there hasn’t been one yet.

I know I’m a little late to this party, but for #7 above, nowhere in the song Who’s Gonna Fill There Shoes is a female singer referenced as one who’s shoes will need to be filled. I guess the writers (Barnes/Seals) felt only male singers were “chosen”, could “tear your heart out when they sing”, were “radio heroes”, could “stand tall”, and gave “their heart and soul.”

the outlaw that walks through Jesse’s dreams; Red-headed stranger; A man in black; Okie from Muskogee; hello darling; boys from Memphis; Blue Suede shoes; Elvis; Jerry Lee; Charlie; Luke The Drifter; Marty; Hank; Lefty

What’s more interesting is that the producer Sherrill didn’t change the song.

Sorry I’m late to the party, but one name left off the list of duets was Vern Gosdin… “All That We’ve Got Left”… not that it was a chart topping hit or won an award for collaboration of the year, but come on… The Voice with The Possum? I know your list was not meant to be all-inclusive, I believe you have said as much, I just wanted to throw that duet in there. This is a great site Trig!

I was just about to call you out on the lack of female badasses, so I’m glad to hear you’re already on it. After being a lifelong fan, I had the pleasure of meeting George Jones and he was warm, friendly and unbelievably gracious. He is missed. Enjoy your site, keep up the good work.

i just want to say that George Jones was the greatest country singer of all time. His death in 2013 left a huge hole in the hearts of country fans all over the world. I’ve sang George Jones songs all my life. I’m 72 years of age and I’m still singing George Jones songs. Each time I sing his songs I feel his presence more so since his death. I had the pleasure of meeting George when he come to Newfoundland to do a concert, also had a picture taken with him, a memorable moment for me for sure. It gives me such comfort when people come up to me and say ” you sound just like George” love the man love his music.

I have always been a huge George Jones fan, Can you please answer a question about his earlier career, I believe that I read an article about George Jones & Faron Young being on your together and fighting each other before they would preform. Am I mistaken about this?

#5 Duet partners – You forgot Melba Montgomery! They did 5 great albums together!

We have George Jones early tour bus that was abandoned in Northern Wisconsin due to a blown engine very early in his career. The engine has been replaced and it is drivable. Nothing else has been changed, including the sheets since he rode in it. It is a Flxible.

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Georgette jones, daughter of tammy wynette and george jones, to cameo in ‘george & tammy’ finale (exclusive).

She will appear as a backup singer in the last episode of the Showtime series that is based on her 2011 memoir, 'The Three of Us: Growing Up With Tammy and George.'

By Mesfin Fekadu

Mesfin Fekadu

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Georgette Jones has strong ties to the Showtime limited series George & Tammy : Not only is it about her parents and based on the book she wrote, but she’ll also appear in the final episode.

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Acm awards: post malone, dua lipa share stage with country artists as lainey wilson wins entertainer of the year, 'the chi' renewed for seventh season at showtime.

The 52-year-old daughter of the country music legends said as she was preparing to visit the set of the series, producers asked her if she’d want to make an appearance.

“I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. I am not an actress but I will happily pretend to be one,’” Jones tells THR . “If they want to put me somewhere — it would be so much fun to be able to do that.”

George & Tammy is based on her 2011 memoir, The Three of Us: Growing Up With Tammy and George . She said filming her scenes was fun and pleasant — but also sentimental.

“I was swept up in a very emotional state of mind during the whole thing. It was strange, knowing that I’m on a simulated bus with what’s supposed to be my parents and their band, but at the same moment, being able to see the scene play out and know what’s happening, listening to the music and listening to the words of the song, and knowing how this is ending the series — it was very, very emotional,” Jones says. “I think it hit me full swing when we finished filming it. I just broke down at the end because it was just a release of all that emotion building up for that scene.”

The six-episode show debuted in December. It chronicles Wynette and George Jones’ complicated yet stirring relationship and the hits they produced, including Wynette’s signature classic, “Stand by Your Man.”

Jones says playing a backup singer for her parents onscreen was something she was used to doing in real life.

Chastain’s performance in George & Tammy earned her a nomination for best actress in a limited series at the 2023 Golden Globes, which take place Tuesday. Jones says she approved of Chastain and Shannon’s portrayals of her parents.

“I think they did an incredible job. I really, really do — both with the music and with the acting,” she says. 

“Jessica has really been our champion for this entire process,” Jones continues of the Oscar winner, who also serves as an executive producer on the series. “I’m so thankful that she not only signed on, but stuck with it. And there were times where different people at different times, before we got to where we were in the end, were trying to suggest things and wanted it to go in a different direction. And Jessica and [show creator] Abe [Sylvia] and [EP] Andrew [Lazar] all really pushed for an honest portrayal, not just some of the glamorous things on the road. And it meant a lot to me that she pushed for that. She wanted us to have an accurate and real story of my mom and my dad.”

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'Tales from the Tour Bus' reveals music's dark side

In “Mike Judge Presents: Tales From the Tour Bus,” a shaggy-dog documentary series premiering Friday on Cinemax, the creator of “Beavis and Butt-head” and co-creator of “King of the Hill” and “Silicon Valley” finds the dark, crazed heart of country music and turns it into a cartoon, literally.

As a historical meditation that adds new visuals to a soundtrack of casual speakers, it is a kind of ensemble cousin to “Drunk History,” with the difference that here the speakers — represented in cartoon form — are straight and the subjects messed up. It does come with a caveat: “Due to the passage of time, and in some cases indulgence in both controlled and illicit substances, details of some tales are a bit hazy.” And those telling the tales — band members, managers, hairdressers, kinfolk and sundry other survivors — played a part in the story; they often speak from firsthand experience, as witnesses and participants.

For a genre that conspicuously associates itself with cleanliness and godliness, country has always had a wild streak, with many of its most beloved stars engaged in behaviors from the merely self-destructive to the actually criminal. The excesses of Led Zeppelin and every rock band that took “Hammer of the Gods” as an instructional manual are nothing compared with the exploits of an unchecked Johnny Paycheck, whose story kicks off the series. Other artists featured include Jerry Lee Lewis, Blaze Foley, Billy Joe Shaver, Waylon Jennings and the team of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, dueting in marriage and divorce. There is some overlap between them; Nashville is a small town.

It is true that these events, for the people who lived them and were seemingly powerless to do otherwise, are often tragic; they are full of drug addiction, alcoholism, violence, incarceration, hospitalization, heartbreak. Guns are fired, people are sometimes hit. Musicians swallow amphetamines, as one recalls, and “stay up for three or four days just to get in tune and then jam for three or four more.”

Jones does too much cocaine and grows two additional personalities, the “old man” and “the duck,” who fight with each other as Jones tries to mediate. Paycheck steals cars, shoots his tour bus driver in the ear over a sandwich. Lewis marries his 13-year-old cousin. (“I was the thinking adult in that relationship,” recalls the current Myra Gale Brown.)

But like all war stories, and like the people who tell them — old enough to have been around, but young enough to still be around — they have ripened and mellowed with age. What might have been far from amusing as it was happening is something to marvel at now, not in a spirit of offended propriety but of head-shaking, affectionate wonder on the part of those who have managed to outlive the past.

Comedy is tragedy plus time, as the saying goes, here multiplied by funny drawings. The animated segments have the feel of a less elegant “King of the Hill,” and though elegant isn’t the first word one would use to describe that show, this is less so. But it suits the material. It gets the job done.

Judge himself hosts and narrates — he was the voice of Hank Hill on the Texas-set “King of the Hill,” and it is nice to hear him again. (Like all the speakers, he has been translated into cartoon form.) As a former touring musician himself, he knows at least the edges of this territory firsthand. And clearly, he loves the music — the pre-industrial, still-regional, honestly twangy country music of the last third of the 20th century — and wants you to love it, too. (“King of the Hill” featured cameos from many country artists; Wynette for a time played Hank Hill’s mother.)

That’s the real value of this highly addictive, strangely thrilling little series. (Eight episodes are too few; may I have some more?) Fun’s fun, but Judge does not forget the considerable art that makes these performers worth discussing in the first place. With well-chosen archival clips salted among the cartoon reminiscence, “Tales From the Tour Bus” makes the case for its subjects as well as any PBS biography or big-screen biopic.

Come for the comedy, stay for the singing.

A Celebration of the Music of George Jones

THE GRAND TOUR takes you on a retrospective journey through the Ol’ Possum’s career—from the early Hank Williams-influenced Honky-Tonk recordings up through his “countrypolitan” era, including his chart-topping collaborations with fellow country music royalty.

Interspersed with stories and reflections from lead singer Larry Tobias, THE GRAND TOUR is an electrifying evening of REAL country music, made famous by the king of REAL country music, for fans of REAL country music!

To keep up with the latest stops on THE GRAND TOUR , visit us on  Facebook . To give us a good ol’ fashioned once-over before you buy those bus tickets, peruse our  our biographical musings below.

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Merry Pranksters

The Merry Pranksters were a group of friends and family associated with Ken Kesey. Many lived together communally in a house La Honda, CA, and several traveled together across the country in Furthur in 1964.

By varying accounts, the original Pranksters included

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• George “Hardly Visible” Walker
• Sandy “Dis-Mount” Lehmann-Haupt
• Kathy “Stark Naked” Casano
• John “Sometimes Missing” Babbs
• Steve “Zonker” Lambrecht

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Call 650-863-4198 or 650-745-8036.

Seats are available on a first come first serve basis.

• 8:00AM – Pick up at: 2750 Geneva Ave McDonald’s close to Cow Palace, Daly City 8:30AM – Pick up at: 1 Serramonte Center by Macy’s on curb at Callan Blvd., Daly City 2:00PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 10:00AM – Pick up at: 2750 Geneva Ave McDonald’s close to Cow Palace, Daly City 10:30AM – Pick up at: 1 Serramonte Center by Macy’s on curb at Callan Blvd., Daly City 4:00PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 12:00PM – Pick up at: 2750 Geneva Ave McDonald’s close to Cow Palace, Daly City 12:30PM – Pick up at: 1 Serramonte Center by Macy’s on curb at Callan Blvd., Daly City 6:00PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Runs Nightly

• 3:00PM – Pick up at: 2750 Geneva Ave McDonald’s close to Cow Palace, Daly City 3:30PM – Pick up at: 1 Serramonte Center by Macy’s on curb at Callan Blvd., Daly City 9:00PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 7:15PM – Pick up at: 1 Serramonte Center by Macy’s on curb at Callan Blvd, Daly City 7:30PM – Pick up at: Mission Street & Wilson Street, Daly City 1:45AM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Daly City - Mission & Wilson Street

• 8:45AM — Pick up at: Mission Street & Wilson Street, Daly City 2:15PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 10:45AM — Pick up at: Mission Street & Wilson Street, Daly City 4:15PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 12:45PM — Pick up at: Mission Street & Wilson Street, Daly City 6:30PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 3:45PM — Pick up at: Mission Street & Wilson Street, Daly City 10:00PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 7:15PM — Pick up at: 1 Serramonte Center by Macy’s on curb at Callan Blvd, Daly City 7:30PM — Pick up at: Mission Street & Wilson Street, Daly City 1:45AM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Daly City - King Dr. - Skyline Plaza - Lake Merced Blvd.

Runs every friday, saturday & sunday.

• 2:00PM – Pick up at: 980 King Drive (by Ling Nam), Daly City 2:15PM – Pick up at: 250 Skyline Plaza (by 99 Ranch Market pick up on Southgate Ave.), Daly City 2:25PM – Pick up at: Lake Merced Blvd. & Southgate Ave. (by Home Depot), Daly City 8:15PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Bus service provided by Nor Cal Charter

Call 415-518-7383

• 8:00AM — Pick up at: Lucky’s in Marina Village, Alameda 8:15AM – Pick up at: 928 Franklin St. in front of Bank of America corner of 9th St., Oakland 8:30AM — Pick up at: On 14th Street in front of Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, by Clay Street, Oakland 9:00AM — Pick up at: Bart Station on 16th Street cross of Macdonald Ave. in the terminal loading zone, Richmond 2:00PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 11:30AM – Pick up at: Lucky’s in Marina Village, Alameda 11:45AM – Pick up at: 928 Franklin St. in front of Bank of America corner of 9th St., Oakland 12:00PM – Pick up at: On 14th Street in front of Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, by Clay Street, Oakland 12:30PM – Pick up at: Bart Station on 16th Street cross of Macdonald Ave. in the terminal loading zone, Richmond 6:00PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Runs Saturday (Starting May 25)

• 3:00PM – Pick up at: Lucky’s in Marina Village, Alameda 3:15PM – Pick up at: 928 Franklin St. in front of Bank of America corner of 9th St., Oakland 3:30PM – Pick up at: On 14th Street in front of Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, by Clay Street, Oakland 4:00PM – Pick up at: Bart Station on 16th Street cross of Macdonald Ave. in the terminal loading zone, Richmond 9:15PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

El Cerrito - San Pablo - Pinole - Hercules

Runs wednesday, saturday, & sunday, starting may 15, 2024 this run changes to the following:.

• 8:30AM – Pick up at: on San Pablo Ave. cross of Cutting Blvd, El Cerrito De Norte Bart Station 8:45AM – Pick up at: 13220 San Pablo Ave., San Pablo 9:00AM – Pick up at: 1400 Fitzgerald Dr. in front of Target, Pinole 9:15AM – Pick up at: 1570 Sycamore AVE. (McDonald’s), Hercules 2:15PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Millbrae - San Bruno - South San Francisco - San Francisco

Thunder Express

• 8:00AM – Pick up at: Lucky’s on 45 Murchison Drive, Millbrae 8:10AM – Pick up at: Cross of El Camino Real & Sneath Lane by Burger King, San Bruno 8:20AM – Pick up at: Pacific Supermarket on 1015 El Camino Real, South San Francisco 9:00AM – Pick up at: 18th Ave. & Taraval St., San Francisco 9:05AM – Pick up at: 18th Ave. & Noriega St., San Francisco 9:10AM – Pick up at: 19th Ave. & Irving St., San Francisco 9:20AM – Pick up at: 25th Ave. & Geary Blvd., San Francisco 9:30AM – Pick up at: 4550 Geary Blvd., San Francisco 2:30PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 11:00AM – Pick up at: Lucky’s on 45 Murchison Drive, Millbrae 11:10AM – Pick up at: Cross of El Camino Real & Sneath Lane by Burger King, San Bruno 11:15AM – Pick up at: Pacific Supermarket on 1015 El Camino Real, South San Francisco 11:35AM – Pick up at: 18th Ave. & Taraval St., San Francisco 11:40AM – Pick up at: 18th Ave. & Noriega St., San Francisco 11:45AM – Pick up at: 19th Ave. & Irving St., San Francisco 11:55AM – Pick up at: 25th Ave. & Geary Blvd., San Francisco 12:00PM – Pick up at: 4550 Geary Blvd., San Francisco 5:00PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 1:15PM – Pick up at: Lucky’s on 45 Murchison Drive, Millbrae 1:30PM – Pick up at: Pick up at: Cross of El Camino Real & Sneath Lane by Burger King, San Bruno 1:40PM – Pick up at: Pacific Supermarket on 1015 El Camino Real, South San Francisco 2:00PM – Pick up at: 18th Ave. & Taraval St., San Francisco 2:05PM – Pick up at: 18th Ave. & Noriega St., San Francisco 2:15PM – Pick up at: 19th Ave. & Irving St., San Francisco 2:20PM – Pick up at: 25th Ave. & Geary Blvd., San Francisco 2:30PM – Pick up at: 4550 Geary Blvd., San Francisco 8:00PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Modesto - Manteca - Tracy - Livermore - Pleasanton

Bus service provided by Storer Coachways.

Call 1-877-339-3555 for more information or to make a reservation.

Runs Saturdays & Sundays

• 7:00AM – Pick up at Storer Coachways parking lot on 7 th and L Street, Modesto 7:30AM – Pick up at Walmart- 1205 South Main Street, Manteca 7:55AM – Pick up at Walmart- 3010 West Grant Line Road, Tracy 8:25AM – Pick up at Walmart- 2700 Las Positas, Livermore 8:45AM – Pick up at Walmart- 4501 Rosewood Drive, Pleasanton 3:15PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Newark - Hayward - San Leandro

Bus service provided by First Class Charters.

Call 650-678-1917 or 650-477-4934

• 7:20AM — Pick up at: 5500 NewPark Mall by HomeTown Buffet sign, Newark 7:45AM — Pick up at: Southland Mall Sears Auto at La Playa & Southland Drive, Hayward 8:00AM — Pick up at: 15255 E. 14 th St. (in front of Roundtable), San Leandro 3:00PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 11:45AM — Pick up at: 5500 NewPark Mall by HomeTown Buffet sign, Newark 12:10PM — Pick up at: Southland Mall Sears Auto at La Playa & Southland Drive, Hayward 12:25PM — Pick up at: 15255 E. 14 th St. (in front of Roundtable), San Leandro 6:45PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 3:00PM — Pick up at: 5500 NewPark Mall by HomeTown Buffet sign, Newark 3:25PM — Pick up at: Southland Mall Sears Auto at La Playa & Southland Drive, Hayward 3:40PM — Pick up at: 15255 E. 14 th St. (in front of Roundtable), San Leandro 9:30PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 6:15PM — Pick up at: 5500 NewPark Mall by HomeTown Buffet sign, Newark 6:40PM — Pick up at: Southland Mall Sears Auto at La Playa & Southland Drive, Hayward 6:55PM — Pick up at: 15255 E. 14 th St. (in front of Roundtable), San Leandro 12:15AM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Santa Clara - Mountain View - San Mateo

Call 650-678-1917 or 650-477-4934 for more information.

Runs Every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday

• 8:00AM — Pick up at: 2800 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara 8:30AM — Pick up at: 1000 N. Rengstorff Ave. behind Costco on Charleston Road, Mountain View 9:00AM — Pick up at: 401 Concar Drive, San Mateo 3:45PM — Departs Graton Resort & Casino

San Francisco - Chinatown

A Perfect Express

Seats are available on a first come first serve basis. Please do not leave personal items on the buses.

• 8:00AM – Pick up at: Kearny St. at the cross of Sacramento St. 1:00PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 10:30AM – Pick up at: Kearny St. at the cross of Sacramento St. 3:30PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 12:00PM – Pick up at: 16th St. & Mission St. 12:30PM – Pick up at: Kearny St. at the cross of Sacramento St. 5:45PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

Runs Every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

• 4:45PM – Pick up at: Kearny St. at the cross of Sacramento St. 10:15PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 8:30PM – Pick up at: 16th St. & Mission St. 9:00PM – Pick up at: Kearny St. at the cross of Sacramento St. 4:00AM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

San Francisco Shuttle

Folsom & 15th stop will not be serviced on May 25 & May 26

This service is first come first serve for arrivals and departures. No reservations are needed.

Fare: $10 (exact change only, cash)

One Way ticket from casino back to San Francisco can be purchased at the Rewards Center for $20 and will not receive a bus bonus for a return trip

Call 1-877-339-3555

Return Tickets Required.

Guests may return at any departure time listed.

For passenger travel information, please click one of the following: San Francisco Shuttle Schedule

有關乘客乘坐巴士的信息，請單擊此處: 三藩市巴士快線時間表

San Jose - Milpitas

Vehicles and their content are left at the owners own risk. Graton Resort & Casino does not accept responsibility for any loss or damage to vehicles or their contents.

• 7:15AM – Pick up at: Burdette Dr. & King Rd., San Jose 7:30AM – Pick up at: Behind 24 Hour Fitness on Rinehart Dr., San Jose 7:45AM – Pick up at: Park & Ride, corner of East Tasman Dr. & Alder Dr., Milpitas 2:45PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino  
• 12:15PM – Pick up at: Burdette Dr. & King Rd., San Jose 12:30PM – Pick up at: Behind 24 Hour Fitness on Rinehart Dr., San Jose 12:45PM – Pick up at: Park & Ride, corner of East Tasman Dr. & Alder Dr., Milpitas 7:45PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 3:15PM – Pick up at: Burdette Dr. & King Rd., San Jose 3:30PM – Pick up at: Behind 24 Hour Fitness on Rinehart Dr., San Jose 3:45PM – Pick up at: Park & Ride, corner of East Tasman Dr. & Alder Dr., Milpitas 9:45PM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 6:15PM – Pick up at: Burdette Dr. & King Rd., San Jose 6:30PM – Pick up at: Behind 24 Hour Fitness on Rinehart Dr., San Jose 6:45PM – Pick up at: Park & Ride, corner of East Tasman Dr. & Alder Dr., Milpitas 12:45AM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino
• 9:15PM – Pick up at: Burdette Dr. & King Rd., San Jose 9:30PM – Pick up at: Behind 24 Hour Fitness on Rinehart Dr., San Jose 9:45PM – Pick up at: Park & Ride, corner of East Tasman Dr. & Alder Dr., Milpitas 3:45AM – Departs Graton Resort & Casino

sonoma county transit

Sonoma County Transit now provides weekday and weekend service to Graton Resort & Casino. Please note that all routes are serviced at the North Entrance of the Casino.

Driving Directions

Located in Rohnert Park @101 Exit 484

from oakland

Head East on the I-80 to I-580 West and US-101 North

Take exit 484A toward Golf Course Drive West

Slight left onto Commerce Boulevard

Turn left onto Golf Course Drive West

Turn left onto Labath Avenue

Destination is on your right

From Santa Rosa

Take the US-101 South to exit 484A (Golf Course Drive West)

Turn right onto Golf Course Drive West

From Sacramento

Head West on the I-80 to Highway 37 In Vallejo

Turn onto the US-101 North

Turn left onto Labath Avenue.

Destination is on your right.

From San Jose

Take the I-880 North

Merge onto the I-580 North toward the US-101 North

Merge onto the US-101 North

From San Francisco

Head North on the US-101 North

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We’re not just a ride to the game, we’re part of the experience!

Now offfering departures from sacramento, vacaville and pleasant hill, $49.00 per person – round trip.

• Enjoy a stress free ride to Levi’s!
• Stream the morning game or Redzone on 6 HD monitors!
• Pack a lunch! Eat on board!
• Bring some drinks, non or alchoholic beverages!
• Store your items underneath!
• Depart on the same bus you came down on!  

Operated by California Wine Tours, Inc.

Call 707-253-1300 or visit  www.californiawinetours.com

Game Day Express