He was the greatest country singer to ever draw breath. Most folks just called him "The Possum." When George Jones passed away in April 2013, it felt like the end of an era for a specific kind of raw, bleeding-heart honky tonk that just doesn't exist anymore. If you're looking for where George Jones is buried, you aren't alone. Every week, hundreds of fans make the pilgrimage to a specific hillside in Nashville to pay their respects to the man who gave us "He Stopped Loving Her Today."
Nashville is full of ghosts. You can't walk down Broadway without tripping over the legacy of some legend, but the actual physical remains of the city's royalty are scattered across a few key cemeteries. George isn't at the Ryman. He isn't at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
He’s at Woodlawn.
The Grandeur of Woodlawn Memorial Park
Woodlawn Memorial Park and Memorial Gardens is located on Thompson Lane in Nashville. It’s a massive, sprawling place. Honestly, it can be a bit overwhelming if you don't know where you're going because it’s not just a cemetery; it’s a landmark. This is the same ground that holds Johnny Cash, June Carter, and Tammy Wynette. It’s basically the VIP section of the afterlife for the Nashville Sound.
George’s monument is impossible to miss. It’s not some subtle, tucked-away headstone. It is a massive, towering piece of granite that reflects the stature of the man himself.
You’ll find it in the Garden of Grandview.
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When you drive into Woodlawn, you’re looking for a structure that looks more like a small building than a grave. It’s made of grey stone and features a large archway. Right at the top, in bold letters that you can see from a distance, it simply says: JONES.
What You’ll See at the Site
The grave is draped in symbolism. On the front, there are depictions of his classic acoustic guitar and, perhaps most touchingly, the words "He Stopped Loving Her Today" etched into the stone. It’s a reference to the 1980 hit that basically saved his career and became the gold standard for country ballads.
People leave things. That’s the first thing you notice when you get close. You’ll see guitar picks wedged into the crevices of the stone. You’ll see pennies. Sometimes you’ll see a small bottle of whiskey or a faded photo of a fan’s parents who grew up listening to his records. It’s a living shrine. The grass around it is usually well-manicured, but you can tell by the wear on the turf that the foot traffic is constant.
Why the Location Matters
There was a lot of talk when George died about where he should go. Some thought he should be back in Texas, near Saratoga where he was born in a log cabin. That’s where the "thumper" preacher influence and those early raw vocals came from. But Nashville was where he became the icon.
He spent his final years in a mansion in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife Nancy. Nancy is widely credited with saving his life—literally. She helped him get sober (mostly) and managed the chaotic legacy of a man who once drove a lawnmower to a liquor store because his wife hid the car keys. By burying him at Woodlawn, the family ensured he remained part of the "Grand Ole Opry" circle even in death.
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The Proximity to Tammy Wynette
If you’re doing the full tour, you should know that George’s second wife (and legendary duet partner) Tammy Wynette is also at Woodlawn. However, she isn't outside. Tammy is in the Woodlawn Cross Mausoleum.
For years, her nameplate actually read "Tammy Wynette Stephens," which caused a bit of an uproar among fans who felt she should be honored by her stage name. It was eventually changed to "Tammy Wynette." It’s a bit of a bittersweet irony that the two voices most associated with the "Golden Age" of country music are just a short walk from each other, yet separated by the walls of a mausoleum and the history of a very public, very messy divorce.
How to Get There and What to Expect
If you’re putting this into your GPS, use the address 660 Thompson Ln, Nashville, TN 37204.
Don’t expect a somber, silent experience. Woodlawn is a busy place. It’s located right near the heart of the city, and you’ll hear the hum of Nashville traffic in the background. Somehow, that feels right for George. He was a man of the people, a man of the road, and a man who lived his life at high volume.
- Timing: The cemetery is generally open from sunrise to sunset.
- Etiquette: It’s a cemetery first, a tourist attraction second. Keep the music down, even if you really want to blast "The Race Is On."
- Finding the Spot: Once you enter, follow the signs for the "Garden of Grandview." If you get lost, the staff in the main office are used to fans asking for George. They’ll usually give you a printed map with the "Stars' Graves" highlighted.
The Legend of the Lawn Mower
You can't talk about George Jones's final resting place without acknowledging the wild life that led him there. The monument at Woodlawn is dignified, but George was often anything but. He missed so many shows they nicknamed him "No Show Jones." He battled demons that would have sunk a lesser man in six months, yet he lived to be 81.
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When you stand in front of that massive granite arch, you aren't just looking at a grave. You're looking at a testament to survival. George outlived the critics, the heartbreaks, and most of his contemporaries.
The monument features a flat bronze marker in front of the main stone where his actual remains are interred. Nancy will eventually be laid to rest there beside him. It’s a quiet spot now, a far cry from the chaotic backstage scenes and the whiskey-soaked nights that defined his middle years.
Other Nearby Legends
Since you're already at Woodlawn, don't just stop at George. You can find several other icons within a five-minute walk:
- Marty Robbins: The "El Paso" singer is nearby.
- Webb Pierce: Known for his silver-dollar-studded Pontiac and his high-lonesome sound.
- Porter Wagoner: The man who introduced the world to Dolly Parton.
- Eddy Arnold: "The Tennessee Plowboy" himself.
Planning Your Visit
If you are planning a trip to Nashville specifically to see where George Jones is buried, try to go in the spring. The dogwoods and redbuds at Woodlawn are spectacular in late April—right around the anniversary of his death (April 26).
It’s a strange thing, visiting a grave of someone you never met. But for George Jones fans, it’s different. His voice was so intimate, so full of genuine pain, that you feel like you knew him. Standing at the Garden of Grandview, looking at that arch, you realize that while the man is under the Texas-born Tennessee soil, the voice is still everywhere in this town.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Download the "Find A Grave" App: It has precise GPS coordinates for George’s monument within the cemetery.
- Visit the George Jones Museum: While his body is at Woodlawn, his "stuff"—the suits, the awards, and the stories—are largely preserved in downtown Nashville.
- Check the Weather: Woodlawn is hilly. If it’s been raining, the grass in the Garden of Grandview can get pretty muddy. Wear boots.
- Leave a Pick: It’s a tradition. If you’re a musician, leaving a guitar pick on the ledge of the monument is considered a way of asking for a little bit of that "Possum" magic for your next gig.
The grave is a destination, but the music is the journey. Whether you're a lifelong fan or a newcomer who just discovered "White Lightning," seeing the scale of his final monument gives you a real sense of just how much this man meant to the fabric of American music. He wasn't just a singer; he was the soul of a genre that doesn't make 'em like him anymore.