cover image The Three of Us: Growing Up with Tammy and George

The Three of Us: Growing Up with Tammy and George

Georgette Jones with Patsi Bale Cox. Atria, $25 (296p) ISBN 978-1-4391-9857-5

Georgette Jones was born of country western royalty as the only child of Tammy Wynette and George Jones, and her life reads like a song classic full of heartache, disappointment, tragedy, and redemption. Jones records her parents' backstory of hard times and past marriages as the Nashville superstars love story became a fan's fantasy. They created a family, great music, and even a theme park, but constant touring, George Jones's drinking, and Wynette's impatience proved that "We're Gonna Hold On" was just a duet. Jones watches as her father disappears into drink and drugs, and Tammy's life echoes her hits "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and "Stand by Your Man" as new husbands cause bitter feuds, and her substance abuse contributes to her death. Jones has a keen eye for the music industry and gives us an inside look at the machinations of the country music world. She reflects on her own life of wrong turns searching for true love and her need for a home life, developing her individuality, and following in the family footsteps as a singer. (June)