George Jones

Over more than five decades George Jones has earned a simple title: The world's greatest country singer. We've got the evidence right here. "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is often cited as the perfect country song largely because of the way Jones shades the emotional nuances latent in every word. But it's not all heartbreak — he shows off an irresistible wild side, from the rockabilly thump of 1959's "White Lightning" to the romping Garth Brooks duet "Beer Run (B Double E Double Are You In)" more than 40 years later. And speaking of duets, Jones' dramatic pairings with Tammy Wynette, such as "We're Gonna Hold On," are the form's gold standard.

Next Steps offers a master class in country singing, delving even deeper into Jones' world of hurt and hijinks, and teaming the man with Randy Travis, Merle Haggard, and even Ray Charles.

As a definitive country stylist, George Jones explored the core of the music while trampling all over the boundaries. His first hit, 1955's "Why Baby Why," is one of rock 'n' roll's country cousins. He and real-life wife Tammy Wynette nail country's essence with the tale of the "Two Story House." The sinners and saints of his songs live the consequences of Saturday night carousing and Sunday regrets; romance, heartbreak, and "Tennessee Whiskey" are constant presences, summed up in one title: "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)."

In Deep Cuts, Jones inspires Gram Parsons and Patty Loveless, and eerily foreshadows Billy Ray Cyrus.

The year 1962 was a good one for George Jones' unsung influence on country music. August's "You're Still on My Mind" became a key cut six years later on Sweetheart of the Rodeo, the Byrds' pioneering venture into country-rock. And February's "Achin' Breakin' Heart" must have left an impression on the writers of the '90s' biggest crossover hit. "Sometimes You Just Can't Win," as another 1962 Jones hit put it. But George shoulders the heartbreak and celebrates the good times through the decades, along the way carving out unforgettable moments with the likes of the yearning "If My Heart Had Windows" (later a Patty Loveless hit).

When country lovers rate a singer's ability, their measure of excellence is George Jones. It's not so much the songs (although many, such as "She Thinks That I Still Care," are brilliant) as the way he sings them, wringing every last drop of emotion from the tearjerkers and pumping up the excitement on the upbeat numbers. Charting around 200 hits, he perfected the art of the country lament, took the male/female duet to the heights of melodrama, and fashioned a honky-tonk's worth of drinking songs. If that weren't enough for half a dozen artists' legacy, the Country Music Hall of Famer left his mark on inspirational standards, inspired artists from Elvis Costello to Shooter Jennings, and joined in on memorable duets with Randy Travis, Merle Haggard, and Garth Brooks. No matter what kind of song he's singing, when it's George Jones on the iTunes jukebox, it's unmistakably classic.