Tribute to Country Singer Evokes His Nickname: No-Show

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press George Jones, the legendary country musician, died in April.

Even in death, George Jones was a no-show.

A tribute concert to Mr. Jones, the country singer who died last month, and was nicknamed No-Show for the performances he missed because of drinking and drugs, was canceled on Thursday, hours before it was to begin.

The promoters said city inspectors had shut down the bar where it was to take place, the Rodeo Bar, on Third Avenue at 27th Street.

“It's George working his powers from the grave,” said Boo Reiners, who had helped line up the musicians on the bill. “It was hard to get him to play New York City no matter how many tickets were sold. And it was funny to have this happen, because on Wednesday I was joking, ‘We should not do the show and have it be like No-Show Jones, ha, ha, ha.' ”

Mr. Reiners and Elena Skye, who together founded the Demolition String Band, have also arranged tributes to Kris Kristofferson and Glen Campbell - who are still alive - and groups as different as the Monkees and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

They had compiled binders with more than 30 songs, ready to hand to the performers as they arrived.

Mr. Reiners said they had commitments from Teddy Thompson, the guitar-playing son of the British folk song writers Richard and Linda Thompson; the singer Laura Cantrell; Charlene McPherson, the lead singer of a band called Spanking Charlene; and Aaron Lee Tasjan, a songwriter and guitarist.

But then came the bad-news call from Jack Grace, a singer and song writer who books performers for the Rodeo Bar; minutes later, Mr. Reiners sent a text message to the performers, saying the show had been called off.

Mr. Reiners said in the text message that Mr. Grace told him of a surprise inspection by the health department.

The inspectors had gone through the kitchen, Mr. Reiners wrote. “Then one of the inspectors crawled around on the floor in the trailer bar” - a cutaway trailer with a bartender working inside the metal shell - “and decided there is a structural problem,” the text message read.

The inspectors ordered the Rodeo Bar shut down, he said.

Mr. Grace said later that the owner, Mitch Pollak, had informed him in a text message that there was “heavy water damage” around the trailer and that the bar would be closed until next week.

But the health department said it had closed the Rodeo Bar because of a mouse infestation.

“I hope we don't have to lose the trailer,” Mr. Grace said. “That's been an icon of the place.”

Mr. Reiners said the George Jones tribute would be rescheduled.

A version of this article appeared in print on 05/25/2013, on page A16 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Tribute to Country Singer Evokes His Nickname: No-Show .