The essential George Jones playlist

Considered by many as the saddest song in country music, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" represented a comeback of sorts for Jones when it was released in 1980. Jones's career was flagging during the years prior, but this song was an instant No. 1 hit that also earned him the first of his two Grammy Awards for best male country vocal performance. 

Written by J.P. Richardson, better known as the gone-too-soon Big Bopper, "White Lightning" is a song about making illegal alcohol, or moonshining. Legend has it that Jones had partaken perhaps a bit too much in the corn liquor, which meant that this song allegedly took about 80 takes to record in 1959. 

Yet another George Jones heartbreaker, "The Grand Tour" was released in 1974 and immediately shot to No. 1. Fans have their own interpretation of what the sadness in this song is really about, and that's helped this song endure throughout the decades. 

Though Chris Stapleton scored a massive hit with "Tennessee Whiskey" in the '00s, there's no denying the appeal Jones's version. Recorded in 1983, it's perfectly reflective of the countrypolitan era, and Jones's iconic voice is just as smooth as the titular spirit. 

"Golden Ring" is the first single of Jones and his wife Tammy Wynette's prolific — and successful — musical partnership. Though the duo's marriage was impacted by Jones's substance abuse, there's no denying that George and Tammy had incredible musical chemistry. 

Released in 1964, Jones's "The Race Is On" makes the most of this song's horse racing metaphor — and its lyrics about heartbreak — with his voice delivering just the right amount of melancholy. 

Unfortunately for Jones, "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me" was pretty autobiographical after its release in 1981. Jones was still in the throes of an alcohol and cocaine addiction, giving him plenty of personal experience to power its heartbreaking lyrics. "And if drinking don't kill me her memory will," he sings. "I can't hold out much longer the way that I feel, with the blood from my body I could start my own still." 

Fans didn't likely know it at the time, but Jones's 1965 recording of the endlessly catchy "Love Bug" featured not one, but two country legends — Jones, and Johnny Paycheck, also a longtime bassist in Jones's longtime touring band. 

More than three decades after the release of his first single, "I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair" offered proof that Jones was still just as spry as he was in his younger days. Released in 1992, the song features vocal cameos from Garth Brooks, Pam Tillis, and Clint Black, and won Vocal Event of the Year at the 1992 CMA Awards. 

Released in 1970, "Tell Me My Lying Eyes Are Wrong" wasn't a major commercial success for Jones — it peaked at No. 13 on the country charts — but it remains a beloved favorite among devoted Jones fans. 

Co-written by Roger Miller and Jones himself, the Possum released his version of "Tall Tall Trees" in 1965. The song got a resurgence in the 1990s, when noted neo-traditionalist Alan Jackson recorded his own version, which notched Jackson a No. 1 hit 40 years later. 

Jones' marriage to Wynette was seriously on the rocks in 1973, with Wynette filing for divorce over Jones's drunken behavior. As such, the No. 1 hit "We're Gonna Hold On" was practically autobiographical. 

In 1954, "No Money In This Deal" was most of the world's first introduction to Jones. His first single, co-written by Jones himself, wasn't much of a success, but it did kick off one of the most successful and prolific music careers in country music history. 

Jones apparently wasn't much of a fan of "She Thinks I Still Care" when he first heard it in 1962, but that didn't stop the song from becoming one of his signature tracks. It was a No. 1 hit, and has since been recorded by a number of artists, including Elvis Presley and Connie Francis. 

A No. 2 hit for Jones in 1970, "A Good Year For The Roses" is yet another song in his catalog about a tumultuous relationship. Written from the perspective of a man whose wife just left him, "A Good Year For The Roses" is hauntingly beautiful. 

Back in 1961, when Jones still rocked a flat-top and a prim suit, "Tender Years" was his second No. 1 hit on the country charts. 

Jones and Wynette notched a No. 1 with this pop classic in 1977, proof that even though they had been separated for nearly three years at this point, the once-married duo still had major appeal to country audiences. 

Recorded in his home state of Texas, "Why Baby Why" became Jones's first major commercial success in 1955 as the rockabilly-inflected tune climbed the country charts, peaking at No. 4. 

Deeply devoted to the sound of traditional country music, Jones frets about the genre's future on "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes." Released in 1985 with pop-country on the rise, it's a tribute to the genre's trailblazers, from Willie Nelson to Merle Haggard. 

Written by Willie Nelson, "Yesterday's Wine" brought together two country powerhouses in Jones and Haggard in 1982. It's a deeper cut, but still a No. 1 hit — one that remains beloved by country music aficionados.