George Jones, one of the most legendary country singers of his generation, who was known for his deep baritone and his hard-partying life, died Friday in Nashville, his publicist confirmed. He was 81. Jones was known as the Possum early in his career for his close-set eyes and pointed nose and was later nicknamed No-Show Jones after he became infamous for ditching performances after drinking and drug binges. Jones had a deep baritone, which often lent a note of sorrow to even his most upbeat songs. His style of singing was so popular that he influenced music of some of country’s biggest stars. In addition, his rocky marriage to Tammy Wynette—she famously stayed with him after she caught him cheating—and their subsequent divorce dominated the tabloids.
