[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1479]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE MUSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE POSSUM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARSHA BLACKBURN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 13, 2012

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, music is in the very fiber of our being, 
and we are proud to continually showcase the sounds that call Tennessee 
``home.'' From the serious songs of the darkest moments to the 
lighthearted tunes of the breeze, George Jones is one of the staples of 
country music. I rise today to celebrate the many chart-topping hits, 
the award-winning duets, and the musical accomplishments of The Possum.
  It seems as if each of the past several decades have been marked by a 
George Jones hit. In the 1950s, it was Billboard's No. 4 ``Why Baby 
Why.'' In the '60s, his singles consistently hit the Top 10. 1973 
brought us the Number 1 single ``We're Gonna Hold On.'' 1980 brought 
music fans what many call one of greatest country records of all time, 
``He Stopped Loving Her Today.'' He rounded out the 20th century with 
the powerful ballad ``Choices,'' reminding us all of the humanity and 
redemption found in community. With 13 Number 1 hits, 30 Top 5s, the 
prized duet partner of James Taylor, Merle Haggard, Ray Charles, Randy 
Travis, Alan Jackson, and Garth Brooks, Jones's unique country music 
sound is beloved the world over.
  Inducted into the Country Music Hall of fame in 1992, chosen as a 
Kennedy Center Honors recipient in 2008, and presented with the 
Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, George Jones certainly has the 
laurels of a seasoned country music star. But you won't find him 
resting on those, nor will you hear his countless fans telling others 
of his awards. His fans and his peers speak of his fidelity to the 
music, to the sound, to the hard work of finding and singing the right 
notes of the soul.

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