About the song :
Alan Jackson’s Unforgettable Tribute: “He Stopped Loving Her Today” at George Jones’ Funeral
On May 2, 2013, country music stood still. Inside the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, the air was thick with grief and reverence as friends, family, and fans gathered to bid farewell to George Jones, one of the most enduring and influential voices in the history of the genre. Among the many who came to honor “The Possum,” one man carried the weight of a particularly profound responsibility: Alan Jackson. His task was not just to sing a song — but to give voice to the loss, love, and legacy of a man who had shaped the very soul of country music.
The song Jackson chose — or perhaps, the song that chose him — was “He Stopped Loving Her Today”, written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman in 1980. Universally regarded as George Jones’ greatest recording, it is a heartbreaking ballad about a man whose love remains unshaken until the day he dies. Its mournful verses and chillingly beautiful chorus had, for decades, brought tears to the eyes of listeners, including Jones himself.
As Alan Jackson stepped to the microphone that day, there were no grand introductions or dramatic gestures. Wearing a simple black suit and his trademark cowboy hat, he let the first few guitar notes fall gently into the stillness. The audience — a sea of fellow musicians, longtime friends, and grieving fans — seemed to lean forward as if afraid to break the fragile moment.
Jackson’s voice carried the song with understated grace. He didn’t try to match Jones’ legendary delivery; instead, he honored it. Singing in a low, steady tone, he let each word settle, allowing the emotions to rise naturally. When he reached the devastating line, “He stopped loving her today,” the truth of the moment hit with a double weight — the song’s character had died, and so had the man who made that story immortal.
For many in the audience, this performance was more than a tribute; it was a passing of the torch, a reminder of the storytelling tradition that binds country music across generations. Tears streamed down faces. Some in the crowd held hands. Others simply bowed their heads. When Jackson reached the final note, the applause did not come immediately. Instead, there was a hushed silence, the kind that only follows something deeply sacred.
Alan Jackson’s performance that day will forever be remembered as one of the most fitting farewells in country music history — not because it was flashy or flawless, but because it was honest. It was a man, a guitar, and a song, standing in for millions who felt the loss. And in that moment, “He Stopped Loving Her Today” became more than George Jones’ signature tune; it became the hymn of a farewell that the country music world will never forget.