Alan Jackson Brings George Jones’ Widow to Tears with Surprise Duet of “He Stopped Loving Her Today”

After country legend George Jones passed away in April 2013, the biggest names in country music gathered that November to honor him in a powerful tribute concert titled Playin’ Possum: The Final No Show. Held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, the event brought together icons like George Strait, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Emmylou Harris, Kid Rock, Eric Church, Charlie Daniels, Jamey Johnson, and Alan Jackson.

The night was filled with unforgettable performances of Jones’ greatest hits—“Choices,” “Blues Man,” “The Grand Tour,” “Golden Ring,” and many more. But the most emotional moment came at the very end, when Alan Jackson took the stage to perform what many consider the greatest country song of all time: “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”

For Jackson, this wasn’t just a performance—it was personal. George Jones had been his hero, mentor, and friend. In fact, the night Jones passed, Alan honored him onstage with a heartfelt rendition of the same song.

As the tribute concert drew to a close, Jackson paused before the final chorus and addressed the crowd:

“I know before we leave here tonight that George would like nothin’ better than all these fans here and all the artists here tonight to sing along and help us with the chorus. This is the greatest country song and the greatest country singer that ever was.”

Then came a moment no one expected—he invited Nancy Jones, George’s widow of 30 years, to join him at the mic. With tears in her eyes and the crowd in stunned silence, Nancy stood beside Jackson as they honored the man whose voice defined a generation.

“Let’s sing one in honor of George,” Jackson said softly.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the arena.

 Watch the powerful, once-in-a-lifetime tribute below

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