09/12/2026
George Jones
On this day (September 12) in 1931, George Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas. His career included more than three decades of hit songs. His 1980 comeback single, âHe Stopped Loving Her Today,â has been listed among the greatest country songs in history countless times. Jones has been considered the genreâs greatest vocalist for decades. This distinction comes partially from his uncanny ability to make listeners feel and believe the pain in the sad songs he recorded. Unfortunately, he could share the heartache so vividly because he lived it.
Jones was heavily influenced by a trio of legendary vocalistsâHank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, and Roy Acuff. He wears those influences on his sleeve in his early recordings for Starday Records. In fact, he seems to be doing his best Frizzell impression in his self-penned debut single, âNo Money in This Deal.â Listen to it beside Frizzellâs âIf Youâve Got the Money (Iâve Got the Time),â and the similarities become crystal clear. Thatâs not to say he delivered a poor performance on the recording. For those who are familiar with his later work, it doesnât sound like him.
Jones recalled his first recording session in an interview with NPR. After he recorded a few songs, producer and Starday co-owner Pappy Daily stepped into the makeshift recording booth. âGeorge, Iâve heard you sing like Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, and Lefty Frizzell. I just want to know one thing. Can you sing like George Jones?â The future legend replied, âI thought you wanted to sell some records.â
George Jones recorded his first few singles in makeshift home studios in living rooms and on porches. Eventually, he found his voice. That wasnât enough, though. He was still limited by Stardayâs nonexistent budget and small distribution range. Finally, in 1955, he traveled to Gold Star Studios in Houston, Texas, to cut a few songs. One of those was âWhy Baby Why,â his first charting single. It peaked at No. 4.
Jones made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 1956 and moved to Mercury Records in 1957. He released his first No. 1 single, âWhite Lightning,â in 1959. Then, in the mid-60s, his career took off. His songs were consistently landing in the top 10. This trend continued into the middle of the following decade.
Tastes change, but Jonesâ style did not. As a result, his chart success began to dwindle. Then, in 1980, he breathed new life into his career with âHe Stopped Loving Her Today.â He followed that instant classic with a string of hits that stretched well into the middle of the decade. His final top 10 hit came in 1988 with âIâm a One Woman Man,â 33 years after his first.
Things Werenât All Sunshine and Rainbows
George Jones topped the country chart 13 times. He also took home a trophy case full of ACM, CMA, and Grammy awards. Moreover, he was beloved by millions of fans and inspired generations of artists. Behind the scenes, though, he was a complicated man.
Itâs honestly surprising that he chose to be a singer. He found his talent early, and so did his abusive, alcoholic father. He would come home drunk in the middle of the night with a handful of friends, wake the young Jones up, and force him to sing for them. His fatherâs behavior didnât keep him away from the bottle, either.
Jonesâ drinking was nearly as legendary as his discography. Thereâs the story of him driving a lawn tractor to the liquor store because his wife hid the keys to their cars. In the late 1970s and early â80s, he earned the nickname No-Show Jones because he missed so many concerts due to his constant alcohol and substance abuse.
Jones allegedly didnât just abuse substances, though. Three of his four marriages ended in divorce. Notably, his six-year marriage to Tammy Wynette was turbulent, to say the least. She alleged that he once chased her through their house with a loaded r***e. Jones denied that claim. No matter what the truth of that story is, his actions led to Wynette filing for divorce twice. She filed the first time as a wake-up call. It didnât work, and she wasnât bluffing the second time.
As the Country Music Hall of Fame points out, George Jones married his fourth wife, Nancy Sepulvado in 1983. This marked the beginning of his gradual rehabilitation. He got sober, signed a new record deal, and continued recording great music with younger artists. For instance, he and Patty Loveless won Vocal Event of the Year at the CMA Awards in 1998 for âYou Donât Seem to Miss Me.â Three years later, he won the same award with Buck Owens, Bill Anderson, and Brad Paisley for their collaboration âToo Country.â
Despite these successful collaborations and generations of adoring fans, the industry had seemingly turned its back on Jones. Thereâs no better illustration of this than his Grammy-winning 1999 single âChoices."
âItâs not that youâre unhappy when youâre doing ballads. Itâs just that I try to live the song,â Jones said. âDuring that three minutes or whatever it is, you try to step in that personâs shoes.â
