March 22, 2013—a night that fans in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will never forget. That evening, country music legend George Jones took the stage in what would become one of his final performances before his passing just 35 days later, on April 26, 2013.
This stop on The Grand Tour, Jones’ emotional farewell tour, was meant to be part of a long goodbye to fans who had supported him for decades. Originally announced in August 2012, the tour was scheduled to wrap up at a star-studded finale in Nashville that November. But fate had other plans.
Less than a month after his Chattanooga show, Jones was hospitalized with a fever and irregular blood pressure. His health took a turn for the worse, and he passed away from hypoxic respiratory failure at the age of 81.
That March night, before launching into what would be one of the most meaningful performances of his career, Jones paused to reflect on the winding, often turbulent road he’d traveled.
“I haven’t drank or smoked for 17 years now, and I know a lot of them out there still don’t believe it,” he told the crowd with a small grin. “But anyhow, it happened—and what a wonderful life. You find out what you got after all the fun. Here’s my favorite drinkin’ song, it goes like this.”
Then, from his stool, tapping his toe to the beat, he began to sing “Tennessee Whiskey.” His voice, though weathered with age and effort, still carried the soul and sincerity that made him one of the most beloved artists in country music history. You could hear the struggle in the high notes—but you could feel the heart in every word.
Knowing now that he was performing through pain and the weight of his declining health, the performance hits even harder. It wasn’t just another concert—it was a man offering everything he had left to the fans who stood by him, flaws and all.
While “Tennessee Whiskey” has found new life in recent years thanks to Chris Stapleton’s now-iconic version, that night in Chattanooga belonged entirely to Jones. His interpretation was raw, weathered, and full of lived-in emotion—proof that the original still carries a weight that only the Possum could deliver.
George Jones left the world with a legacy few could ever match—and that final performance in Chattanooga was one last glimpse at the heart and soul of a true country music legend.
