That story has long been country-music folklore, and Jones grew to have a sense of humor about it. Besides his own "Honky Tonk Song" above -- that's Texas guit-steel great Junior Brown as the sheriff, too -- he also appears on a riding mower in the videos for Hank Williams Jr.'s "All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight" and Vince Gill's "One More Last Chance."
He vehicular misadventures didn't stop there, either. In March 1999, he was seriously injured in a one-car accident near Nashville when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a bridge abutment. Jones had supposedly been talking to the president of his record label and then his stepdaughter before the crash, where he suffered a collapsed lung and ruptured liver. Besides Jones' own song "Choices," the incident inspired the memorable Drive-By Truckers song "George Jones Talkin' Cell Phone Blues."
We found out something else today while researching the ol' Possum. He could have had another big hit after "He Stopped Loving Her" in the late '80s, but apparently passed on "All My Exes Live In Texas," opening the door to another George: King Strait.
"My excuse on those songs was because a jukebox was playing in the background and it distracted my attention," he said. "Truthfully, you end up passing on songs that do turn out to be hits but maybe they weren't really right for you so you can't second-guess yourself."
Rest in peace, Possum. Thanks for all the great stories.
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