George Jones dies at 81

The Los Angeles Times takes this interesting look at the contrast between country legends Georege Jones and Johnny Cash, who sang a famous duet version of the classic number, “I Still Miss Someone.”

Rolling Stone culled together some of the many reactions online today from current country and rock music stars who voiced their sadness at the death of George Jones.

CHICAGO — George Jones, widely recognized as the greatest honky-tonk singer of his time, died Friday in Tennessee at age 81.

The County Music Hall of Fame vocalist had been taken Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on April 18 with a fever and irregular blood pressure.

Jones, born Sept. 12, 1931, in Saratoga, Texas, sang classics such as “White Lightning” (1959); “She Thinks I Still Care” (1962); “We’re Gonna Hold On” (1973), with his then-wife, country star Tammy Wynette; and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” (1980).

The singer was married four times and battled alcohol addiction even as he was racking up a string of country hits. But his final marriage, to Nancy Sepulvado in 1983, helped turn his life around.