George Jones had an unforgettable 63rd birthday, even though he might have preferred to forget all about it. The country legend turned 63 on Sept. 12, 1994, and he marked the occasion by having to undergo triple bypass surgery.
Jones started experiencing symptoms and was taken to Nashville’s Baptist Hospital on the previous Friday, and after doctors discovered coronary artery blockages, he underwent surgery. The iconic singer spent a week in the hospital recuperating, during which time many of his fellow country stars offered their support.
Connie Smith came in and spent time with Jones’ wife, Nancy, in the waiting room, while Waylon Jennings was among the stars who showed up to lift his spirits in person. Reba McEntire and Garth Brooks both sent huge flower arrangements, Jones recalled to Country Weekly, adding, “When the chips are down, there’s no denying that country stars are there for each other” (quote via the Boot).
George Jones and More Country Singers’ Brushes With Death
The Orlando Sentinel reported that Jones’ surgery was followed by a cardiac rehabilitation program lasting eight weeks.
The triple bypass served as a warning to Jones to change some of his health habits. He told Country Weekly he was “generally living life at a slower pace,” but he continued to struggle with alcohol for several more years. A life-threatening car crash while drinking and driving in March of 1999 finally scared Jones straight for good, and he abstained from alcohol from then until his death from respiratory problems at age 81 on April 26, 2013.
PICTURES: See Inside George Jones’ Spectacular Southern Manor
George Jones lived the life of a true Southern gentleman in his Southern-style manor home in an affluent suburb of Nashville.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
PICTURES: See Inside George Jones and Tammy Wynette’s Lavish Nashville Mansion
The 10,000-square-foot Nashville mansion George Jones bought for Tammy Wynette in 1974 is called First Lady Acres, and it’s a part of country music history.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.