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He was born September 12, 1931 in Saratoga, Texas to an alcoholic father and a mother who was both musically inclined. Jones taught himself how to play the guitar at age 9 and he wasn't long before he was playing on the streets for tips. When he got back from serving during the Korean War, he started playing at clubs and dances throughout Southeast Texas. His style caught the attention of a Houston record executive, H.W. "Pappy" Dailey, who helped to prepare the 24-year-old singer for stardom - which didn't take very long; George Jones' first country hit came in 1955 with "Why Baby Why." The decade of the 1960's was filled with hit George Jones songs, including "The Window Up Above" (1960), "Tender Years" (1961), "She Thinks I Still Care" (1962). In 1969, Jones married Tammy Wynette, his third wife, and joined the Grand Ole Opry.
In 1970, Jones' relationship with Pappy Dailey was ended and he began working with Wynette's producer, Billy Sherrill, at Epic Records, subsequently recording several more hit songs. However, Jones' personal life took a turn for the worse as he fell victim to heavy drinking and cocaine addiction, which resulted in increasingly erratic behavior, including beating his wife and missing concert dates. Through it all, Jones continued to record with Wynette. Jones kicked off the 1980's in a big way, winning a Grammy Award along with several Country Music Awards for the song "He Stopped Loving Her Today." In 1983, he married his fourth wife, who helped him get over his addictions and record even more hit songs. The move was made to MCA in 1991 and George was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. Upon moving to Nashville, he resumed touring, performing at over 100 gigs each year. Jones had open-heart surgery in 1994, surviving a successful triple bypass operation at Baptist Hospital in Nashville. I Lived To Tell It All, George's autobiography co-written by Tom Carter, was published in 1996, and is considered an honest appraisal of a life that scaled the heights of fame without ever forgetting the events that shaped him as a country performer.