George Jones tribute concert held in Alabama coming to movie theaters
George Jones was larger than life, so it’s only natural a concert honoring the late country music legend would come to the silver screen.
On Oct. 17, highlights from “Still Playin’ Possum: Music and Memories of George Jones” will be shown in movie theaters as a one-night event. Tickets are available via fathomevents.com. Running time for the film version is listed as one hour and 45 minutes.
The original three-hour concert featured dozens of country stars performing Jones hits. It took place April 25 at Von Braun Center, a Huntsville, Alabama, arena Jones played often during his Country Hall of Fame career.
Brad Paisley performs during “Still Playin’ Possom,” a concert celebrating country legend George Jones’ music and life. The concert was held April 25, 2023 at Huntsville, Alabama arena Von Braun Center. (Matt Wake/[email protected])
That night in Huntsville, Brad Paisley sang “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Wynonna Judd and Jamey Johnson crushed “Golden Ring.” Jelly Roll sauntered through “Bartender Blues.” Sara Evans gender flipped “She Thinks I Still Care.” Other performances featured the likes of Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Aaron Lewis, Janie Fricke, Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Sam Moore, Lorrie Morgan and Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr.
Wynonna Judd and Jamey Johnson perform during “Still Playin’ Possom,” a concert celebrating country legend George Jones’ music and life. The concert was held April 25, 2023 at Huntsville, Alabama arena Von Braun Center. (Courtesy Dennis Keim)
Jones died around 10 years before the Huntsville tribute, in 2013 at age 81. Before he passed, Jones had been scheduled to play the Von Braun Center on his ’13 farewell tour.
In addition to honoring the singer and his songs, the sold-out tribute concert held an auction of guitars autographed by that night’s stars. The auction raised $80,000 for the families of two Huntsville police officers recently killed and critically wounded in the line of duty.
After the theatrical release, “Still Playin’ Possum,” the title a reference to one of Jones’ nicknames, “Possum,” will come to TV as a PBS special. A PBS premier date has yet to be announced.
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