Castlebar-bound

George Jones comes to Castlebar

Country Roads
Michael Commins

COUNTRY music legend George Jones is heading west to Mayo. The American star will perform in the Royal Theatre Pavilion on Friday and Saturday, August 8 and 9. The shows are part of his Irish tour and his only dates in the west. He is also headlining the big Ulster Country Music Festival in Dungannon on August 2 and 3.
George Jones is something of an icon in American country circles. In recent years when his current wife took away the car keys so that he could not go to town for some booze, he famously got up on his lawnmower and drove it to town instead! The story was major news across the USA.
Traditionalists have always loved the pure country sounds of Jones, a firm favourite on country jukeboxes for over four decades. He has had a string of hits, including ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’, ‘The Race Is On’, ‘Window Up Above’, and many more.
During the weeak, I had the opportunity to put a few questions to George in advance of his visit to Ireland and to Castlebar. And he’s looking forward with a lot of enthusiasm to his visit here over the next two weeks.

MC: Name three of your favourite songs from over the years?

GJ: It is hard to just name three when I have had the privilege to record so many, but I will say ‘Why Baby Why’, ‘Window Up Above’, ‘The Grand Tour’, ‘White Lightnin’, ‘The Race Is On’, and of course ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ are some of my favourites.

MC:   Do you think country music as we knew it has lost touch with its traditional roots?

GJ: “It is well documented how I feel about the path country music has taken. It is no longer the great traditional music I love. It is more pop than country. There are a few singers that try to keep it country but not too many.”
MC:  Do you still see a place for the more traditional style of country music in the times ahead?

GJ: “I really believe there are still people who love and miss traditional country music. I think there is still a demand for it but, without radio play, it is hard to promote our music. There are other avenues that can be used such as the internet to promote music and I believe people that really love that kind of traditional country music will seek it out, wherever they have to go.”
MC:  If there was a song or two out there from over the years that you would like to say ...“I wish I had written that number”, what songs would they be?

GJ: “Well, I think it is safe to say I wish I had written ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’. Other great songs that come to mind are ‘Crazy’, ‘Green Green Grass of Home’, ‘Oh Lonesome Me’. I could go on and on.”

MC:   Who have been the main influences in country music (apart from yourself) over the past four decades?

GJ:  “Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, just to name a few.”

George Jones should get his Irish tour off to a flying start at the big festival in Dungannon which boasts a huge array of acts this coming weekend.
Frank McCaffrey and Mike Denver are the support acts on the shows in Castlebar. There will also be dancing to Mike Denver and his band on both nights after the concert. Tickets for the concerts are €65 and are now available online at www.royaltheatre.ie or from the box office at 0818300000 as well as from the usual outlets.