12 Essential Examples of George Jones' Incredible Vocal Range

George Jones songs spanned from 1956 to his farewell album, 2005's Hits I Missed... And One I Didn't. In that span, he stood tall as one of country music's most captivating talents. His elastic baritone voice breathed eternal life into a variety of songs, from emotional heavy-hitters like 1961's "Tender Years" and 1974's "The Door" to light-hearted jokes like 1993's "High Tech Redneck." The Possum's greatness made him a dream duet partner for more than Tammy Wynette, with Melba Montgomery (1963's "We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds"), Merle Haggard (1982's "C.C. Waterback"), WIllie Nelson (1979's "I Gotta Get Drunk") and Randy Travis (1990's "A Few Ole Country Boys") among his greatest vocal matches.

With all that in mind, it's hard to narrow the Texas native's solo and group outings to a playlist of 12 songs. Here's Wide Open Country's go-to listens from Jones' catalog.

12. "The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)" (Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes, 1985)

This irresistible ode to classic cars and young love recounts the Possum's run-in with an older man at a convenience store who seems to be taken with his Corvette. After more discussion, he discovers the old man is actually talking about the brunette woman in the passenger seat. Jones' baritone delivery of "hotter than a two dollar pistol" is just another reminder of why he's among the greatest of all time. The song was a staple at the Possum's live shows. Listen here.

11. "Bartender's Blues" (Bartender's Blues, 1978)

Folk-rock great James Taylor first wrote and recorded "Bartender's Blues" for his 1977 album JT. The original was a minor country hit, reaching No. 88. Within a year, Jones turned a ready-made steel guitar weeper into a Top 10 smash that's among the best drinking songs of the decade. Listen here.

10. "Golden Ring" (Golden Ring, 1976)

The relationship between Jones and Tammy Wynette had its ups and downs, but the two continued to make beautiful music together long after their divorce. "Golden Ring," an enduring country duet that traces the life of a wedding ring, was recorded months after the king and queen of country had split. And though George and Tammy both moved on (Wynette would go on to marry songwriter and record producer George Richey), "Golden Ring" remains one of the greatest country duets of all time. The duo's best songs could be a list unto itself, with "Near You," "We're Gonna Hold On," "Take Me" and "Two Story House." Listen to "Golden Ring" here.

9. "The Right Left Hand" (Wine Colored Roses, 1986)

"The Right Left Hand" is believed to be Jones' tribute to his fourth wife Nancy. The Possum maintained that Nancy had saved both his life and career, helping him through his addiction problems. Listen here.

8. "The Race is On" (I Get Lonely in a Hurry, 1964)

Recorded in 1965, "The Race is On" is rooted in the country tradition of mixing humor and heartbreak. The narrator relates his relationship strife to a horse race. Pride, heartaches, and tears are in a race from the start to the finish line, but in the end, "the winner loses all." It's since been recorded by country hitmakers Sawyer Brown and Americana songster Charley Crockett. Listen to Jones' version here.

7. "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)" (I Am What I Am, 1980)

"If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)" was recorded at the height of Jones' personal struggles. The singer references his demons—heartbreak and excessive drinking—in this 1981 single. Similar to the song's narrator, Jones was falling apart in the public eye. Many believed the song was about his divorce from Wynette years earlier. And the Possum made no effort to dissuade the rumors. He often changed the lyrics to "If drinkin' don't kill me, Tammy's memory will" when he performed the song live. Listen here.

6. "White Lightning" (1959)

Although "No Show" was never too keen on discussing his short-lived rockabilly career, "White Lightning" proved that Jones still had it in him. Written by rockabilly artist J.P. Richardson (better known as "The Big Bopper"), this ditty about the strongest moonshine in the North Carolina hills is one of Jones' most beloved classics. It was the singer's first of many No. 1 hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. For more Jones jams with a rockabilly edge, start with "Why Baby Why" and honky tonk classic "Love Bug." Listen to "White Lightning" here.

5. "Choices" (Cold Hard Truth, 1999)

George Jones never hesitated to sing about the darker aspects of his famous life. "Choices," written by Billy Yates and Mike Curtis, is a song about coming to grips with the decisions we've made in life and how they impact our loved ones. Following Jones' 1999 drunk driving accident, the song took on a deeper meaning. Listen here.

Jones was supposed to perform "Choices" at the 1999 CMA Awards. After learning that the CMA wanted him to perform a one-minute, abridged version of the song, Jones stayed home. Alan Jackson famously protested the CMA's decision to not allow Jones to perform the song in its entirety when he cut his own performance of "Pop A Top" short to sing "Choices." The bold act is one of country music's most memorable moments.

4. "She Thinks I Still Care" (1962)

This often-covered song penned by Dickey Lee tells of a man in denial about whether or not he came out on the winning end of a breakup. Though the likes of Haggard and Elvis Presley have recorded it since, Jones' 1962 single remains the seminal recording of a seminal Nashville Sound-era country heartbreaker. Listen here.

3. "A Good Year for the Roses" (George Jones With Love, 1971)

Jones' dynamic vocal delivery captures the grief and anger felt by a man who's been left by his wife. The Jerry Chesnut-pinned ballad has since been recorded by Jones-loving powerpop icon Elvis Costello. Listen to Jones' version here.

2. "The Grand Tour" (The Grand Tour, 1974)

If there were an award for the saddest Jones song, this one would certainly be in consideration. Written by Norro Wilson, George Richey and Carmol Taylor, "The Grand Tour" follows a heartbroken man as he walks through his broken home, stopping in each room to reminisce about his lost love. The lyrics remain some of the most heart-wrenching in country music history. Listen here.

1."He Stopped Loving Her Today" (I Am What I Am, 1980)

What else can be said about "He Stopped Loving Her Today"? The song, written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putnam, has been named the saddest country song of all time (as well as the greatest country song ever written). And for good reason.

According to producer Billy Sherrill, Jones hated the song at first, claiming that it was too sad and would never sell. The single, released in 1980, revitalized the Possum's stalled career and became one of his biggest hits. Jones won the Grammy award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance in 1981. Listen here.

This post was originally published on November 1, 2017.

READ MORE: 10 Things You Didn't Know About George Jones