George Jones suffered from crippling stage fright. He turned to drink to steel his nerves, but lost control of his drinking.
His wife, Shirley, tried to help him kick his habit. He lived eight miles outside Beaumont, Texas; eight miles from the nearest liquor store. She hid the keys to all their cars and left him at home while she went out.
After ninety minutes on the road, he arrived at the liquor store on their ride-on lawnmower.