george jones

The country music legend lived like a Southern gentleman.

On Aug. 31, 1974, Jones earned a No. 1 hit with his song "The Grand Tour," which was the title track of his 41st studio album.

Not just Elvis, how about Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, George Jones (yeah, he showed up), Conway Twitty, Louis Armstrong even Mae West performed in the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium. From ragtime to jazz, boogie-woogie to blues, country and rock-n-roll and everything in between, it all echos through these halls of time, plaster, wood and concrete, straining for re-birth

Ashley Monroe covers the George Jones classic, "Bartender's Blues," with all the heart-wrenching emotion you could hope for.

Grab the tissues ...

The Boot rounds up a list of 50 country, Americana, alt-country, bluegrass and folk songs that everyone should hear at least once in their lifetime.

Cheers!

Mark Chesnutt is one of country music's most staunch traditionalists, but he looks back with regret on one career misstep that was so out of character, it actually made George Jones angry at him.

Country music is filled with songs proclaiming love and devotion to the United States, but for many artists, their patriotism runs much deeper.

Have you ever wondered what your favorite country singer looked like when he or she was pint-sized?

Not long before he died, George Jones penned a final letter to Alan Jackson. He was asking for a favor, one the younger country singer was likely happy to fulfill. Now, as Jackson releases his Angels and Alcohol album he's shared a photo of that letter with Taste of Country readers.

George Jones was almost as famous for his offstage exploits as for his iconic music, and his colorful life is coming to the big screen in a film that his wife promises will be an honest look the country icon.