George Jones has been called the Frank Sinatra of country music. He is the ultimate country crooner and has a voice that sounds like he is in severe emotional pain.
By March of 1980, he truly was. His career was in the toilet, his life was a blur of nonstop cocaine and alcohol abuse, his third marriage (to Tammy Wynette) had been over for five years, and he hadn’t had a solo number one hit since.
The heart-wrenching “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” co-written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman and from the “I Am What I Am” album, singlehandedly revived his career. Producer Billy Sherrill uses strings, a harmonica, and steel guitar, but all sparingly and in the service of Jones’ pained voice and the sad, sad story.
Read about and listen to “He Stopped Loving Her Today” here.
