George Jones

George Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas in 1931 and grew up listening to Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell. He started recording in the mid-1950s, but it was 'White Lightning' in 1959 that really broke through for him. That song became a country standard and set the tone for much of what followed.

His voice had a particular ache to it that made even ordinary songs sound like confessions. You can hear it in tracks like 'Walk Through This World With Me' and 'If Drinking Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)', songs where the delivery feels as important as the writing. In 1980 he recorded 'He Stopped Loving Her Today,' which became one of those rare records that everyone in Nashville points to when they talk about country storytelling.

Jones struggled with alcohol for years, which became part of his public story. He kept recording through it, putting out albums like 'The Race Is On' and 'She Thinks I Still Care.' He worked with musicians like steel guitarist Buddy Emmons and bassist Earl Montgomery, but it was always his voice at the center of things. He died in 2013 at 81.