I Lived to Tell It All

by George Jones, Tom Carter

Strong and sober, George Jones looks back on his life with searing candor. From his roots in an impoverished East Texas family to his years of womanizing, boozing, brawling, and singing with the voice that made him a star, his story is a nonstop rollercoaster ride of the price of fame. It is also the story of how the love of a good woman, his wife Nancy, helped him clean up his act.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Memoir, Drugs, Biography Memoir

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible stories. George makes rockers look like teetotallers. It gets kind of repetitive in the middle, (lemmee guess: he's gonna drink a bottle of whiskey, snort a mound of cocaine, smash up a room, shoot up his bus, then not make it to his show)but stick it out because toward the end the story gets really MEGA freaky. I won't spoil anything but truth is definitely stranger than fiction.

I loved the stories of his childhood in rural Texas during the depression, the anecdotes about Faron Young, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Porter Wagoner, etc. Possum has been to hell and back and you gotta give the guy some credit. It's so tempting to give a nugget of some of the particularly bizarro stuff, but better to read it for yourself - it's so worth it.

After I finished reading last night I called my mom up to discuss some of the stuff I read, as she and I and a former stepfather lived in Nashville for a year when I was in 7th grade. The building she worked in also housed the office of Faron Young, whom we both met, and my stepfather was a security guard at Waylon's house. As a teenager I was big into David Bowie and The Pretenders, wanted nothing to do with country music, and had no idea who any of these guys even were. Ah the ignorance of youth - I would never have dreamed that years later I would be singing country music myself and listening to the old greats. Mom tells me that we saw George Jones having lunch with Porter Wagoner in a Shoney's restaurant. I have no recollection of it because I'm sure I rolled my eyes when she pointed them out and had no clue who they were.

Anyway, Jonesy is no Hemingway but he's sure got one hell of a story to tell.

[Richard Schaefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of music memoirs are full of shit, written late in a musician’s career when they’re interested in presenting a more gentle—or at least blameless—version of who they were and are. Jones’ autobiography, written during a stretch of sobriety he thought was going to last (it didn’t), is one of those; but that doesn’t mean it isn’t incredibly entertaining, full of whiskey-soaked, coke-fueled assholery and revisionist defenses of violent and mean behavior. There are occasional direct refutations of other texts (Tammy Wynette’s own memoir being one) and news stories (lawsuits, of which there were many), and Jones does occasionally take accountability for his actions, being very candid about his drug and alcohol abuse and his physical and psychological abuse of his last wife Nancy. But more often there are absurd (but VERY amusing) stories about how the Dixie mafia repeatedly kidnapped him and force-fed him cocaine… you know, because Jones NEVER would have done all that coke in his own! There isn’t much about the music itself—Jones is the greatest country singer of all time, and one of the great voices in any genre, but this book reinforces the perception that he’s something of a cypher, putting every ounce of his soul into his music and barely existing at all once he leaves the studio. All this is to say, Jones’ memoir is very entertaining, full of raucous stories spanning nearly half a century in the music industry, but I wouldn’t take much of it as gospel truth.

[millie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful memoir from the best voice in country music. if you don't listen to George Jones, there is a 100% chance your favourite country singer listens to him.

A lot of people will say that the book is repetitive as Jones continuously gets himself involved in bizarre situations and will act absolutely insane. To that I say, what do you expect? we are talking about George frickin Jones here, people. The man snorted half of Columbia and drank more than the Motley Crue for three straight decades. Of course, it comes as no shock that 90 percent of the book is him being an absolute unhinged maniac.

Fun fact - George Jones' step-daughter's name is Adina. My fiancee's name is also Adina. both are behaved quite well. I love (my) Adina very much and plan to marry her one day. ❤️

RIP to the Possum - the greatest voice in country music.

[Tim Duff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand that George Jones was an alcoholic and cocaine addict for years, but 25 chapters of it was a bit much for me. How he was able to perform (when he showed up), I have no idea. Would have liked to learn more about the greatest country music singer’s recordings than his abuse.

[Joey K · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a ride!! My goodness, the title is perfect. This book is a page turner no doubt with all the crazy stories over many decades of George’s life. He is certainly not the best father, and hardly mentions his kids, which is sad because they didn’t have their father in their lives, but as far as a Country Music artist, George Jones is the GOAT!!

[Betty Stoneking · Rating 5 out of 5]

if tou love country misic you will love this book,

[Sue Milkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

STARTLING SAD*UNWAVERINGLY HONEST

At the beginning of this book George Jones said he would be as honest as his memory would allow. I believe he was. This book at times is almost too painful to read. I was born a Country Music fan. I was lucky enough to see George Jones perform twice alone and once with Tammy Wynette back in the 70's. Now I truly know how lucky I was. I think his wife Nancy was out of her ever loving mind. But I think everyone has a soulmate and when it's your time to meet them, God puts you together. I'm glad that Nancy was able to love George and give him the happiness she could in the time they had. If you want a hard honest look at the life of a recording, touring artist. Buy this book and take notes. If your a fan of this Country Music Legend, this might be a little hard to read. I love the music of George Jones and always will. God Bless Nancy and his children.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of this book is so funny! and OMG! The story with Porter Wagner in the restroom is hilarious! Yet it becomes really sad as George continues in his destructive drinking. As I read about all of his antics I kept thinking what it would be like if that stuff happened today. Everyone would have their cell phones out taking pictures, they would have been all over facebook within an hour and he would have been charged with assault, etc
Nancy may have been great for George but what she put her poor daughter Adina through is awful.
George is truly one of the greatest country singers ever and I appreciate him and his music even more.

[Victor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not even a huge fan (well, he's badass), but this is the second Jones book I've read along with a Tammy Wynette one (??). It moves along, and is a fun ride, but after 300 pages, the drunken, coke-fuled debauchery gets kinda old (yet the story of him driving the lawn mower to the liquor store when his wife took his car keys is funny), and is really the definition of the auto-bio fail; he tells you what he can remember (obviously not much), and what he wants to tell you (and in this case the drunken debauchery and not much on the music). I would have loved more insight on the man's incomparable interpretive skills/creative process. Oh well, it's George Jones, so it's still pretty cool.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean, I love George Jones, I could listen to "He Stopped Loving Her Today," all day, but this was a slog. They "forced" him to use drugs ?

[Michelle Santamaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes me rethink cocaine. Maybe I won't die after the first try.

[David]

I'm reading about Geroge Jones buying a moped. Then Johnny Paycheck crashes it --Paycheck also practices karate on a train in this book and puts his fist through a window. It's pretty wild.

[Suzanne Gert · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Today I'm sober and debt-free. I've got a ways to go before I'm guilt-free."

I'd call this more of a 3.5 star read. There were a few stories that hadn't already been "Behind the Music'd" to death, and George's humor came through. He talked a bit about the struggles for artists getting paid for their work and not getting completely robbed by the labels and promoters and managers in the 1960s/70s, but I wish there had been a deeper dive there. Of course, George freely admits he doesn't remember a lot of that.

He's incredibly candid about his alcohol and drug use. None of it sounds remotely glamorous or even fun. He got drunk, got mad, passed out, coked up, and did it all over again. He married 4 women and sired 4 children (not counting various step children). He little to no relationships with his 3 older children and really only mentions Georgette (his daughter with Tammy) in passing. He includes only his step-daughter with his last wife, Nancy, in his book. Ouch.

His memories of Tammy are fairly tasteful, although she sued him for child support and you can tell he's bitter about it. Tammy didn't stay and "fix" him. She had 4 kids to take care of and a career that was, at the time, more high-powered than his. She didn't have time for a 5th child.

George venerates his last wife Nancy for "fixing" him. Her job was also being Mrs. George Jones and she became his manager. But under her watch he did get sober and rebuild his career.

I completely agree with George that country music, which used to support its pioneering musicians, now drops most of them as soon as they're 40+. George wrote this book in the 90s when women ruled country radio: Reba, Shania, Trisha, Kathy, Dolly. Today only Miranda, Carrie, and Kasey are anywhere near as huge as Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean. If you look up the top 10 country acts, they're all men. The list might even include Reba and Dolly who are still beloved but who haven't had huge radio play in over 15 years.

And it's all pre-packaged and either a ballad or a novelty song. The Possum was the last of his kind: someone who get a song and sell it by voice alone.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

a harrowing autobiography

I try to avoid ghostwritten autobiographies, but George Jones is too fascinating a figure for me not to want to hear what he has to say about his life in what is nominally his own voice. The way Tom Carter shapes it does make the prose seem to match up with the way Jones spoke in interviews of him that I've read, so I'm inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt. Jones also frequently admits that certain accounts in the book are entirely sourced from Carter's interviews of other participants in various incidents because Jones could not remember them himself.

Most importantly, I LIVED TO TELL IT ALL is a gripping and harrowing story. If you've gotten enough into Jones that you're reading Amazon reviews of his autobiography, you probably know some of the reason why, but be prepared for some of the most unvarnished and painfully honest confessions of an addict's life, and a downright terrifying chronicle of a descent into psychosis that easily could've been permanent.

It's not all doom and gloom. There's plenty of humor, too, and Jones's gratitude for having been able to live as a country musician shines through. An essential read for all country music fans.

[Mark Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I am 65 years old and have been a fan of George Jones and his music since the 1970s. I knew that George had a "drinking problem," but I did NOT know it was to the extent he colorfully describes in this book, and I certainly didn't know about his cocaine addiction. Good Lord, the further I read the more crazy the story became. I remember the song he and Merle did together called "No Show Jones," but again not aware of the extent of the no shows. George Jones apparently made and lost several fortunes all while constantly drunk and high and abusing girlfriends and wives for years and years. I have to give him props for his candidness in writing this book. After completing this book, its hard to believe he actually lived as long as he did. Many thanks and blessings are due his last wife Nancy who never gave up on George and never left him, even in the face of danger. Just get a copy and read it for yourself. I guarantee you will be shaking your head in disbelief! RIP George Jones!

[Benjamin Fasching-Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Same as Jones doesn't remember much of what he wrote here, I don't remember when I read this. The scariest bits are when he's so coked and drunk that he can't stop talking like Donald Duck. He responds to things in Tammy Wynette's book with "if she says I did that, I guess I did." Oh, there was another bit I liked where he used to hold a $100 bill over Little Jimmie Dickens head and say "I've got a hundred dollars for anyone who can beat this man..." or was that Jones remembering something the King of the Road singer did? Then there's the bit where he trashes a hotel room with Johnny Cash telling him exactly what it all is going to cost... like "one desk lamp, 28 dollars" and then when he gets the bill from the hotel chain it's exactly what Cash had written up... because Cash had done it so often he had the prices memorized. This book is cou-u-u-untry, If you know what I mean.

[Garrett Cash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about George Jones and his life but as I expected it created more questions than answers. Jones virtually doesn’t focus on music at all throughout the book. There’s barely information about how he wrote songs, nothing at all on recording sessions, passing mentions of his writers/producers, etc. You get the picture. If you’re interested in the details of his astonishing drug abuse, legal troubles, and embarrassingly honest anecdotes of country stardom you’ll find plenty of that. It’s honestly shocking to me that he got as much recorded as he did in times where he’s living out of his car in a haze of cocaine (all while having number one hits!). Lots of interesting stories about the world of country music and I would hope this book might help someone not go down the path of addiction. It’s not a pretty sight and the last half of this book isn’t an easy read.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the craziest memoirs I have ever read. It details the life of a country musician when the music was breaking into mainstream acceptance, but was still considered "hillbilly". George Jones does a great job detailing life on the road and the craziness of those early music days. This memoir has it all: adultery, drugs, kidnapping, bankruptcy, murders, and the raw reflections of someone with addiction problems. I did find some of the parts with his new wife Nancy a bit troubling (how could she stay in those situations with her daughter for so long?). I would read it again and recommend for people looking for a memoir that will shock them and keep them hooked.

[~Mrs.~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Jones is one of my favorite country singers. I think his voice and Randy Travis’ is literally the best of the best. When I found this gem in the bookstore I read the excerpt in the back, I knew this was going to be one hell of a story. What a life George lived! It was incredible and at times very exhausting to read through. He was honest about his mistakes and wasn’t afraid to describe his embarrassing reckless ways while living as a country star addicted to booze and cocaine. I’m glad he lived through it all and changed his life around. I’m also grateful for all of his amazing music that touched the hearts of me and my family.

[Jesse Flood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about George Jones. Music took him from his time as a boy, where he performed, to the big time after the service. But drinking ended marriages and opportunities for future performances. Some humorous parts including riding a lawn mower to the bar when his wife took all the other vehicle keys in the house, Georgie Riddle not wanting to wake him in his car that was covered in dirt, only for George to wake and think he was buried alive, and a fellow musician eating pet food thinking it was potted meat. Good book

[Larry Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big George Jones fan. So although the story is a rough one I still enjoyed reading it. To say George was a mess is an understatement. But the ending of the story made me glad he made through and was able with the help of his wife to conquer his demons. Had he talked a little more about his music and the recording of his hits I would have given it five stars. I recommend it for any fans of George and if you are in Nashville the same time as me you will find me at The George Jones Bar just off of Broadway.

[Cat Rayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Conflicted.

The entirety of the book is about his alcohol, drug and physical abuse of wives and friends. It was disjointed at times and told with more pride than contrition. The stories of his nature under influence (mean, hateful, evil!) do not inspire empathy, but erode respect.

Always been a fan of his music, and happy to have seen him perform (lucky too, since he cancelled as many concerts as he played). There was never illusion that he was not flawed, but it delivered a story that gave only the events shaped by addictions. There had to be much more to the life of this talented man.

[Monica Shaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omgosh I can't believe this man lived as long as he had!!!!
Spoiler Alert !!!!!
As I'm sure most of you won't read this book anyways.
But what blew me away was George Jones was a drunk and did lots of coke.
His dealers put out a life insurance policy on him.
They would kidnap him, tried to kill his wife, broke into their home.
Then once they had George in their possession they would feed him coke until.he passed out but still were pushing it up his nose to kill him to collect ins. Money.
WHAT!!!!
This was back in 1970s, can you imagine the drug trade today.

[Katina · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful autobiography

I love autobiographies when I feel like I’ve just spent hours listening to an old friend tell me their life story. Very well written. Very conversational. I learned so much about a man that I have long admired. I loved his honesty and heartfelt love of country music and his fans. I now want to read Tammy’s book and see her side of the story, and read Georgette Jones’ book as well.

I bought the book because I watched the show on Showtime, but I’ve always been huge fans of The Mr. and Mrs. of Country Music!!

[Marlin King · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a difficult read, but an important one. The candid take on his life and experiences is both heartbreaking and hopeful, and gives new insight into the hard life that plagued country and rock & roll musicians of that era. Musical style did not exempt anyone from the substance abuse that was prevalent then.
I consider it a modern day miracle that he lived long enough to write this book, but then again, the Stones are still alive, so I guess anything is possible.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid 3.5 to 4. Why? Because: a) George Jones should have been dead long before he collaborated on this memoir. b) His voice reads clear throughout the book, even though he did not compose the book himself. His co-writer obviously transcribed oral interviews verbatim. c) His tales of the early years are authentic and evoke a particular time and place. d) I have always loved George's music and had compassion for him during his hard times...

[carolyn Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Legend That Was Meant To Be Shared With The World

I fell in love with a man I had never met through his music that I heard for the first time 5/20/23. I became curious about him after watching the movie George and Tammy. Coming up listening to Motown and R& B I can add Country Music to my list because of George Jones.
After reading his story “I lived to tell It All “ I can appreciate him even more.
Thank you Nancy for seeing in George what he couldn’t see in himself and “Standing By Your MAN”

[Monsieur Rick Blaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

He calls that living to tell it all? He was a dead man walking. Another tale of the rich and famous getting special treatment by the law. If you like drunk stories on every page this is your book. Abusive
In every way to his fans, wives, band and writes a book to exploit it. Sick sick man. As if this confessional book makes up for it all.

[Charlotte A Wingate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!!

I grew up listening to George Jones because he was one of my Dad's favorite "country" music singers. Now in my older years, he's one of mine as well. I cannot believe he survived all he did, but God had a purpose for him and I'm grateful for his story. I hope it inspires everyone like it did me. Thank you, George!!

[Holden Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

My country music idol and simply the best country music singer to have ever lived. Coming upon his 10th year of departing our world, Jones will always a be the true King of Country music.

My heart broke, eyes rolled, and settled into the man who was more lost than two people driving down an unknown road. Somehow, he finally found that love to conquer all!