Eclectic Music : George Jones ‎

Singer, Songwriter

Birth Date September 12, 1931

Death Date April 26, 2013

Country singer and songwriter George Jones was born into poverty, but became a successful musician later in life. His first hit was the 1955 song "Why Baby Why."

Synopsis

George Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas, in 1931. He began his career by performing on the street to help earn money for his large and impoverished family, and after a brief stint in the military began to pursue his musical ambitions in earnest. In 1955 Jones landed in the country Top Ten with "Why Baby Why," and for the rest of his career was very rarely far from the charts, releasing hit single after hit single as a solo artist and as a duet partner with some of country’s biggest stars, most notably Tammy Wynette, who was also his third wife. Battling his personal demons along the way, Jones amassed an impressive musical legacy that earned him a 2012 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, among many other honors. He died in 2013, at the age of 81.

Tender Years

George Glenn Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas, on September 12, 1931. One of eight children in a poor family, his father was an alcoholic who sometimes grew violent. "We were our daddy's loved ones when he was sober, his prisoners when he was drunk," Jones later wrote in his autobiography, I Lived to Tell It All. But despite these hardships, Jones and his family members shared a love of music, often singing hymns together and listening to records by the likes of the Carter Family. They also enjoyed listening to the radio, tuning into programs from the Grand Ole Opry.

When Jones was nine his father bought him his first guitar, and when he began to display an early talent, he was sent out to the streets to perform and help earn money for the family. By his early teens he found himself playing in the dive bars of Beaumont, Texas, as well, and at age 16 he left home for Jasper, Texas, where he worked as a singer at local radio station KTXJ and nurtured his admiration for the music of Hank Williams. Jones returned to Beaumont a few years later, and in 1950 he married Dorothy Bonvillion. The couple had a daughter, Susan, shortly thereafter, but their union was short-lived, at least in part because of the explosive temper and fondness for drink that Jones had inherited from his father.

What Am I Worth?

After their divorce, Jones joined the U.S. Marines and served during the Korean War. However, he was never sent overseas, instead finding himself stationed in San Jose, California, where he continued to indulge his love of music by performing in the city’s bars. When he completed his military service in 1953, Jones continued to indulge his passion and was soon discovered by producer Pappy Daily, co-owner of Saturday Records. Daily quickly signed Jones to a recording contract and became his producer and his manager—a partnership that would last for years.

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Source:

Grand Ole Opry's New Star - 1957

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Country Church Time 1959

Sings White Lightning And Other Favorites 1959

Salutes Hank Williams 1960

The Crown Prince Of Country Music 1960

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The New Favorites Of George Jones 1962

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The Fabulous Country Music Sound Of 1962

Sings Country & Western Hit 1961

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Homecoming In Heaven 1962

The Hits Of His Country Cousins 1962

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I Wish Tonight Would Never End 1963

George Jones (2) The Ballad Side Of George Jones (Album) 4 versions Mercury US 1963 Sell This Version 4 versions

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George Jones (2) / Melba Montgomery / Judy Lynn George Jones (2) / Melba Montgomery / Judy Lynn - A King & Two Queens 4 versions United Artists Records Canada 1964 Sell This Version 4 versions