Brad Paisley took part in a remarkable tribute event, “Great Performances – George Jones: Still Playin’ Possum,” in collaboration with PBS. This special, filmed on April 23, 2023, at Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama, commemorated the legendary George Jones, just two days before the tenth anniversary of his passing.
Aired on PBS on February 23, 2024, the event featured a lineup of stellar performances from country music luminaries like Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Dierks Bentley, and many more, each paying homage to the iconic George Jones.
Paisley, entrusted with the task of honoring Jones, chose to perform what is often hailed as the greatest country song of all time: “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Originally released by Jones on April 14, 1980, the song initially met with skepticism from Jones himself, who famously remarked, “Nobody’ll buy that morbid son of a bitch.” However, it went on to become a chart-topping success, marking Jones’s return to solo number one status after six years.
At the “Great Performances – George Jones: Still Playin’ Possum” event, Paisley’s rendition of the opening line of this iconic song electrified the audience, setting the stage for a memorable tribute to one of country music’s most enduring legends.