George Jones: a lot to celebrate

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It's the stuff of legend in Nashville, and George Jones says every word of it is true.

Yes, he was coming off a two-week drinking binge. Yes, he found the house empty and the cars gone. Yes, he took off on a riding mower in search of a drink.

No, he's not proud of it.

"I wasted a big, big part of my life. So many important years were totally lost," said Jones, whose alcohol and drug abuse got so bad he was dubbed "No Show Jones" for all the concerts he missed.

Today, sober and in good spirits, the 75-year-old singer says he has a lot to look back on and a lot to celebrate, including a recent album with fellow luminary Merle Haggard.

Last month, he testified at a Federal Communication Commission hearing, urging more restrictions on media ownership. Jones maintains that radio playlists are being determined by a relative few with little knowledge of country music history, and it's hurting artists and fans.

One of country music's most recognizable figures, with his deep voice and well-coiffed hair, Jones showed up about 30 minutes early for a recent Associated Press interview.

"Now that I show up, I show up early," he cracked.

AP: Why did you and Haggard decide to sing each other's songs on the recent album "Kickin' Out the Footlights ... Again"?

Jones: It's like hearing a new song, a hit song, I think, all over again because it's done with a different voice and in a little different way.

AP: It's been 25 years since you two recorded together. What took so long to do another record?

Jones: I think it's because we both had big label contracts. A few years back with the big labels it was very hard. You had to pay them so much money to use one of their artists. It was hard to get together that way. Today, you can go along and sing with anybody you want to, and it don't make a difference.

AP: "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is considered one of the greatest country songs of all time. Why do you think that song was so special?

Jones: It may sound corny, but all my life I've wanted to write exactly that song, or I've hunted for it. I wanted to hear a song or write a song about how you could express your greatest love for someone. Bobby Braddock and Curly Putnam brought it over that day and that was the first thing I thought of — "That's the song I've been looking for."

AP: What do you think about the state of country music today?