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Country music legend George Jones passed away in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday, and his funeral service at the Grand Ole Opry House on Thursday will be open to the public. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1956, the two-time Grammy Award winner put 167 records on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and is widely considered to be the greatest male country singer of all time.
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"George would have wanted his fans and friends to be able to come and pay their respects along with his family," publicist Kirt Webster said in announcing the decision Sunday. The Los Angeles Times reports that there will also be a private visitation on Wednesday night for family, friends and fellow performers.
The Opry dedicated its shows to Jones over the weekend. "Virtually everyone who will take the Opry stage this weekend and for years to come has been inspired by the music of George Jones," read a statement of remembrance at the top of each show.
The family has requested that contributions be made to either the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund or the Country Music Hall of Fame, to which Jones was inducted in 1992.
