Legendary country music performer, Grandpa Jones, died February 19, 1998. He was 84.

Jones was born Louis Marshall Jones in Niagra, Kentucky on October 20, 1913. He learned to play the guitar by age 11, and soon after was appearing on a local radio station.

Even as a young man, Jones had an old sounding voice. As a gimmick to attract more listeners, the owners of a touring company persuaded Jones to switch from the guitar to a banjo, alter his appearance to look like an old man, and incorporate corny humor into his radio act. The gimmick worked and ‘Grandpa’ Jones was created, even though Jones was only 22 years old at the time.

Jones left the Kincaid touring company in 1937, eventually getting a job with the Boone County Jamboree on WLW in Cincinnati. There he teamed up with Merle Travis, the Delmore Brothers and his future wife, Ramona Riggins.

Jones’s star began to rise after World War II. He moved to Nashville and in 1947 joined the Grand Ole Opry. His musical style changed from ballads to up tempo comedy offerings. Some of his memorable songs during the early 1950’s were Eight More Miles To Louisville, Mountain Dew and Old Rattler.

He also recorded gospel music with Merle Travis and the Delmore Brothers. The foursome called themselves the Brown’s Ferry Four.

Jones landed on the country charts in 1959 with his recording of The All-American Boy, and in 1963 his T For Texas, a Jimmie Rodgers song, went to number five on the charts.

With his popularity riding high in the mid to late 1960’s, Jones was signed to appear as a regular on a new country music variety show called Hee Haw. Its humorous format was suited very well to Jones’ style of performing. Grandpa was an integral part of the show for 25 years. One of his most popular segments was his reading of the menu when asked, “What’s for Supper, Grandpa?”

Jones was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1978. His Grandpa outfit is a permanent display at the Hall’s museum.

Jones and his wife Ramona also operated a dinner theater in Mountain View, Arkansas. Jones also continued to appear as a regular on the Grand Ole Opry until shortly before a debilitating stroke forced his retirement in January 1998.

Grandpa Jones died from stroke complications on February 19, 1998 at a Nashville long-term care facility.