Christmas is coming early this year.
I firmly believe that George Jones is THE greatest country singer of all time. Of course there are so many great choices that it’s hard to narrow it down to just one (or even 5 or 10), but for me, it’s the Possum. His traditional country sound and his catalog of heartbreakers IS what I believe country music should be.
And whether you agree with me that he’s the best or not, there’s no denying that he’s a legend.
Unfortunately, Jones passed away back in 2013 at the age of 81. But now, 11 years later, we’re getting to hear new recordings from the country music icon.
And no, I’m not talking about AI-generated music.
The new album, George Jones: The Lost Nashville Sessions, features 16 tracks that were originally recorded for radio airplay back in the 1970s, made exclusively for artist promotion and often completed in one or two takes. The tapes were often discarded after they aired, but these recordings were discovered and remastered for fans to hear once again.
Now, these aren’t new songs, but they’re previously-unreleased recordings of some of Jones’ biggest hits, as well as some of his lesser-known recordings. They’ve been enhanced to fix the years of neglect that the master recordings suffered while sitting in a box, and now they’re ready to be heard for the first time in 50 years.
According to Jones’ widow, Nancy Jones, she’s excited for fans to hear new versions of some of her husband’s music:
“Music truly is the gift that keeps giving. Even after all these years, we’re still releasing new music from George. This collection features sixteen songs, and while some may be familiar hits, these versions are ones you’ve never heard before. I’m thrilled to share them with all of his devoted fans.”
The full album is coming November 15, but the first track was released today, a new version of “The Honky Tonk Downstairs,” which Jones first recorded in 1968 for his album George Jones Sings the Songs of Dallas Frazier. The new version was recorded sometime around 1970 at Music City Recorders in Nashville during a session produced and mixed by studio owner Scotty Moore.
‘George Jones: The Lost Nashville Sessions’ Track Listing:
01. Window Up Above
02. I’ll Share My World With You
03. The Race is On
04. The Grand Tour
05. Once You’ve Had The Best
06. Love Bug
07. She Thinks I Still Care
08. Four O Thirty Three
09. The Honky Tonk Downstairs
10. Old Brush Arbors
11. A Picture Of Me Without You
12. Walk Through This World With Me
13. Tender Years
14. She’s Mine
15. White Lightnin’
16. Hey Good Lookin’