Jones, George (1931-2013), was a popular American country music singer. He sustained a career of more than 50 years as a leading country singer in spite of a turbulent personal life marred by violent behavior, drug addiction, alcoholism, and a near fatal auto accident in 1998. Almost 150 of Jones’s recordings made the country music charts, more than any other country singer.
George Glenn Jones was born on Sept. 12, 1931, in Saratoga, Texas. He made his first recording in 1954. His first hit, “Why Baby Why,” was recorded in 1955. His first number-one song was “White Lightning” (1959). He followed up with two number-one songs in 1961, “Tender Years” and “She Thinks I Still Care.”
In 1969, he married country singing star Tammy Wynette. They divorced in 1975. The couple recorded a number of hit duets, even after their divorce. Their hits included “Take Me” (1972), “We’re Gonna Hold On” (1973), “Golden Ring” (1976), “Near You” (1977), and “Two Story House” (1980). Jones’s solo hits during the 1970’s included “A Good Year for the Roses” (1970), “A Picture of Me (Without You)” and “Loving You Could Never Be Better” (both 1972), “The Grand Tour” and “The Door” (both 1974), and “Her Name Is” (1976). “He Stopped Loving Her Today” (1980), “Still Doin’ Time” (1981), and “I Always Get Lucky with You” (1983) were number-one hits.
Jones became a member of the Grand Ole Opry (see Grand Ole Opry ) in 1973 and was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. He wrote a best-selling autobiography, I Lived to Tell It All (1996). Jones’s hit songs during the 1990’s included “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me” (1998), a duet with country singer Patty Loveless; and “Choices” (1999). Jones turned to recording religious songs in the early 2000’s, many appearing in The Gospel Collection: George Jones Sings the Greatest Stories Ever Told (2003). Burn Your Playhouse Down (2008) is a collection of previously unreleased duets. Jones’s daughter with Wynette, Georgette Jones, is also a country singer. He died on April 26, 2013.
