Johnny Paycheck’s Son Honors Dad’s Longtime Friend George Jones With 60-Year-Old Classic at Nashville’s No. 1 Honky-Tonk

John PayCheck is paying tribute to a country music legend. George Jones’ widow, Nancy Jones, marked what would’ve been her husband’s 95th birthday with a star-studded concert at Nashville Palace.

During his time on stage, John, who’s the son of the late Johnny Paycheck, opted to deliver a special rendition of “Love Bug.” Ahead of the show, John told American Songwriter that the 1965 song is one of the first tracks he remembers hearing his dad sing with George.

“Our families have a lot of history together, and a lot of that is my dad. He played bass for George Jones and George helped get him on that path,” John recalled. “Even though Dad was kind of a big ham at times, and they had their own little spats here and there, they stayed friends the entire time. Our families have always known each other.”

It’s for that reason that John was quick to agree when Nancy asked him to join the lineup for the tribute show.

“I always want to pay respect to one that era of music, and I always want to pay respect to Nancy and them, because they were always there for us when we needed it,” he said.

John PayCheck Reveals What He’s Learned from George Jones

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It’s not only familial closeness that prompted John’s appearance at the show. He was also inspired to participate due to the impact George has had on his own career.

“George always told me, ‘If you’re ever going to do this, do it right and don’t mess it up. Don’t follow what me and your dad did and all that,’” John said. “Those kind of things are lessons that I followed. We’re just trying to put one foot in front of the other just like they did.”

On top of that, John said that George taught him “what you can do if you put your mind to it, what you can do if you stay involved. And then also, don’t give up your roots. Don’t give up the history.”

John was just one of many performers who took the stage at the event. Other artists included Jamey Johnson, Ernest, and Lorrie Morgan. The impressive turnout that George’s legacy prompted was something that delighted Nancy.

“George would not believe it,” Nancy told AS of all the people who came out to honor him. “He was such a shy person… He just always thought that he didn’t fit in. I don’t know why, but trust me, he did. Every artist I can think of—rock and roll, country—they love George Jones.”

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