Randy Travis Remembers George Jones in ‘Tonight I’m Playing Possum’
The country music community has been grieving since George Jones died in April. To help soften the blow -- and perhaps to cope with his feelings -- Randy Travis dedicated a new song called 'Tonight I'm Playing Possum' to a man many call the greatest country singer of all time. Joe Nichols joins Travis on this powerful duet.
'Tonight I'm Playing Possum' was written by Keith Gattis. The traditional country song is about how a true fan might react to Jones' death. The lyrics are about pouring a strong drink, dusting off old records and listening to Possum's greatest hits all night long. Best of all, the song mentions famous tunes like 'He Stopped Loving Her Today' and 'Why Baby Why.'
Travis' twang turns the song into a classic country tune when compared to some of the more contemporary hits that modern country artists have released recently. He's a longtime fan of Jones' and provided one of the most memorable moments from Jones' funeral just days after his death.
At the Taste of Country Music Festival last weekend (June 14), Nichols talked about being chosen to sing with Travis on the song. “Of course, when they called I felt incredibly honored,” Nichols said. “I get to sing about one of my heroes with one of my heroes.” All three men fought similar demons in life, but more importantly for this song all three are dedicated to traditional country music.
Travis had a rough start to this year when he was sentenced for a drunk driving incident, but since pledging to get sober, the country star has been able to focus on his career. In addition to releasing 'Tonight I'm Playing Possum,' the he's also agreed to play a sheriff in the pilot of a TV show called 'Still the King' with Billy Ray Cyrus.