The daughter of legendary country couple George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Georgette Jones will appear on the Grand Ole Opry this Thursday (April 6) to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her mother's death. The younger Jones will sing two of Wynette's signature songs from the '70s: "My Man" and "Till I Can Make It On My Own."
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"The Opry and the Ryman were very important to Mom," Jones shared in a press release. "She grew up listening to the Opry on WSM and always dreamed of having the honor of playing there. It really meant the world to her to stand in the circle and to be part of the Opry family."
A recording artist in her own right, Tamela Georgette Jones was born in Oct. 1970. She's the youngest of Wynette's four daughters and the Country Music Hall of Famer's only child with Jones. As a member of one of pop culture's royal families, the second-generation star grew up at both the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry House.
"It really meant the world to her to stand in the circle and to be part of the Opry family," Jones added. "As a child, I ran the halls backstage along with many other artists' children and grandchildren. I have the best memories being there not only for Opry appearances, but for award and TV shows as well. It was a big extended family environment that I am grateful to have experienced."
Wynette died on April 6, 1998 at age 55.
In addition, Jones told a funny story about her mother that involves two other country greats.
"[Loretta Lynn], Mom and Barbara Mandrell were all sharing a dressing room. That day was Barbra Mandrell's anniversary, and her husband Ken had just gifted her with a pair of beautiful diamond earrings," Jones shared. "She had misplaced them in the dressing room and panicked because she couldn't find them. She said, 'Ken's going to kill me, help me find them.' So, the three country legends got on their hands and knees intent on finding the earrings.
"Just then, Ken knocked on the door and stepped in, and a brutally honest Loretta blurted out 'Barbra done lost her diamond earrings!' and Barbra responded, 'I told you not to tell him!' and mom just fell on the floor hysterically laughing," she continued. "In the end they found the diamond earrings, and all was well, but mom always loved to tell this story even years later. Can't you just get the visual?"
Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Lauren Alaina, Lauren Mascitti, Wendy Moten and Chuck Meade round out Thursday night's Opry bill.
