The nation legend they known as “Possum” was born on September 12, 1931 in Saratoga, Texas, and continues to be seen by many as the best singer within the style’s historical past. We should be speaking about George Jones.
Jones was an unimaginable presence on the nation scene for almost half a century, from his first hit “Why Baby Why” in 1955 to his final entry up to now, “50,000 Names,” in 2002. Alongside the way in which, George scored 13 No.1 singles, together with such indelible classics as “She Thinks I Still Care,” “We’re Gonna Hold On.” and “Near You” (together with his spouse Tammy Wynette), and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
Lots of them, particularly as soon as he had develop into a beloved favourite of the nation fraternity, have been solely enhanced and made that rather more actual by his well-publicized struggles with substance abuse, issues in his marriage to Wynette and different challenges.
Possum’s affect on his friends was as deep and as lasting as that on his trustworthy viewers. “George Jones is still my favorite singer,” stated Waylon Jennings in 1971. “I think he’s the greatest singer that’s ever been, man. I don’t think anybody can outsing George Jones.”
‘Almost as good as Ray Charles’
Nor was his presence felt solely inside nation. Rock giants sang his praises far and huge, from Bob Dylan to Keith Richards to Elvis Costello to Linda Ronstadt, who stated in 1974: “My favorite artist is George Jones. That guy’s so good, almost as good as Ray Charles.”
Costello recorded with “Possum,” as did Richards, who had develop into a specific fan throughout his friendship with one other devotee, the late Gram Parsons. Keith writes concerning the later duet, “Say It’s Not You,” in his autobiography, Life. “George was a great guy to work with, especially when he had the hairdo going.” he stated. “Incredible singer.”
“Country music is something you love,” Jones informed Nick Tosches for Excessive Constancy journal in 1977. “Like I love it like Ernest Tubb loves it, like I think Hank Williams loved it. It’s a music you love. When you use strings and horns and all these things, you just don’t have country music anymore…you abuse it. To try to sell two or three hundred thousand more records…hell, a man could always use the money, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to have that big a production on my records, because I’m never gonna sell pop.”
Robbie Robertson was one other devotee. “He was unquestionably my favorite country singer,” he stated. “He was the Ray Charles of country — the one who could make you cry with his voice. I heard the news he’d died and I listened to ‘She Thinks I Still Care,’ because that just kills. He was a better singer than Hank Williams, and Hank could certainly tell a story. But when you talk about the greatest of the greatest, George Jones was the main man.”
Take heed to the All Time Biggest Nation Hits playlist.
