The New York Times called him “the definitive country singer of the last half-century.” That’s as good as any an epitaph outside of Nashville for George Jones, who died Friday.

His publicists, Webster & Associates, said he died at a hospital in Nashville after being admitted there on April 18 with fever and irregular blood pressure. Jones was 81.

 

Jones was nicknamed Possum for his close-set eyes and pointed nose. But later he was dubbed No-Show Jones for the concerts he missed during drinking and drug binges.

In his career of more than 50 years, George Jones evolved from a young honky-tonker to an elder statesman, recording more than 50 albums. Along the way, Jones became both a champion and symbol of traditional country music. Jones was being described by colleagues Friday as the greatest singer of country music.