LOS ANGELES (Mercury/UMe Records) - More male country singers have wanted to sound like
George Jones than anyone else. How Jones moved from an imitator of those who came before him to an idol himself is told through the songs on GEORGE JONES - THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION (1955-1962) (Mercury/UMe), released June 22, 2004.
A new series dedicated to country artists, the first slate of The Definitive Collection releases includes compilations for Jones, Patsy Cline, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sammy Kershaw, The Mavericks, and Don Williams.
For Jones, the 22 digitally remastered classics on THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION (1955-1962) examine the pivotal eight-year period which began at Starday Records and then encompassed Mercury and United Artists. Included are his first three No 1 country hits - "White Lightning," "Tender Years" and "She Thinks I Still Care" - as well as eight other country Top 10s.
The Texas honky-tonker's fifth Starday single was his first hit as 1955's "Why Baby Why," an original novelty, hit No 4. Also from Starday are the bluesy "I'm Ragged But I'm Right" and the No 3 country "Just One More," about alcoholism, both of which he also wrote. Starday took over Mercury's country division in 1957 and Jones went along. His first single, the Jones-penned "Don't Stop The Music" was Top 10, followed by the No 13 "Too Much Water," co-written with Sonny James. While his original "Cup Of Loneliness" was gospel and "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" a cover of The Carter Family standard, his 1958 ballad "Color Of The Blues" (No 7) was his first to indicate his coming original style.
He teamed with J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), in writing "(If I Don't Love You) Grits Ain't Groceries" (Top 30) and the ballad "Treasure Of Love" (No 6). His first No 1 was also a Richardson song, the 1959 moonshine ditty "White Lightning." That year also yielded "Who Shot Sam" (No 7), "Money To Burn" (No 15), and "Big Harlan Taylor" (No 19), written by Roger Miller. The Jones-written prison ballad "Life To Go" became Stonewall Jackson's first hit and Jones recorded it in 1960. The original "The Window Up Above" reached No 2 the following year. "Family Bible" (No 16), though credited to others, was composed by a then-struggling Willie Nelson.
"You're Still On My Mind" reached the Top 30 in 1962 but more important that year was the No 1 "Tender Years," whose smooth "Nashville Sound," and Jones singing in a lower register, led him to countrypolitan, the style that still defines him more than 40 years later.
"Achin', Breakin' Heart" (No 5) was his final Mercury hit ("Mr. Fool," recorded in 1959, was issued in 1963). At United Artists, he hit No 1 again with the ballad "She Thinks I Still Care."
Today, still recording and still touring, George Jones remains No 1 among male country singers - and country fans.
