Jake Brennan

With cocaine and alcohol coursing through George's system, it didn't take long for his marriage to unravel.

Tammy filed for divorce in 1975, and George let her take everything.

The house, the money, their fans, even his band, the Jones Boys, they went with Tammy.

It seemed like everyone had abandoned George.

Everyone, that is, except his best friend, Peanut Montgomery.

Hearing the name again, Dedule reached for the gun, but the old man slapped his hand away.

He smirked at George, who reminded him of the old saying, a friend in need is a friend indeed, and Pina was no friend in need.

Earl Peanut Montgomery was an Alabama native, a man who got his start as a session guitarist at the legendary Fame Studios in Florence, Alabama.

His sister Melba had been George's duet partner of choice before Tammy.

But even after Tammy kicked Melba to the curb, Peanut stayed on as George's number one drinking buddy.

It didn't hurt that he played a mean guitar and wrote killer songs like George and Tammy's number one hit, We're Gonna Hold On.

Especially after Tammy left, George and Peanut raised hell in every bar room from Nashville to Alabama until suddenly Peanut found himself a new running buddy, Jesus Christ.

Peanut got religion.

He gave up drinking and he gave up touring with George.

For George, it seemed doubly unfair.

George had turned to God so many times in his darkest hours, begging for salvation.

But God always ignored his prayers.

God left him living in hell, day after day.

And just when he was at his lowest, God took the only friend George had.

George seethed with rage as he felt the cold steel of the revolver in his hand.