On Wednesday night in Huntsville, several country artists, including Dierks Bentley, Wynonna, Brad Paisley and more gathered to honor the late George Jones on the 10th anniversary of his death.
At the event, called Still Playin’ Possum: Music and Memories of George Jones, Jelly performed his rendition of Jones’ late-’70s classic, “Bartender’s Blues.” That song was originally released by James Taylor in 1977, but Jones made it his own the following year. He even recorded it once more as a duet with Trisha Yearwood in 1994. The song was a staple of the late great’s catalog.
Fan-captured video of Jelly’s performance provides an up-close look at the singer’s magnetic stage presence, and the powerful crowd reaction to his take on Jones’ song. The story line of “Bartender’s Blues” — which spotlights a bartender who’s feeling trapped by the “four walls” of his job, and searching for a “honky tonk angel” to give him new reason to live — is a natural fit for Jelly’s own storytelling style, which often draws from subject matter like addiction, depression and hard times.
Watch the video of the powerful performance here!
