He Stopped Loving Her Today: George Jones, Billy Sherrill, and the Pretty-Much Totally True Story of the Making of the Greatest Country Record of All Time

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Billy Sherrill with George Jones and Tammy Wynette in the studio. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. March 10, 1956: Nashville Sound co-creator Owen Bradley (at piano) was equally at home with big bands and singers as diverse as Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. March 10, 1971: Nashville nominees for 1970 Grammy Awards included Billy Sherrill (co-writer of “Stand by Your Man”), Brenda Lee (contemporary female vocalist), and Chet Atkins (instrumental performance). None of the three won. Photo by Bob Ray. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. May 1971: Tammy Wynette and George Jones before their fairy-tale marriage fell apart. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. January 10, 1975: Twenty-four hours after Epic shipped the Charlie Rich rendition of Curly Putman’s “My Elusive Dreams” (co-written with Billy Sherrill), a profile of Putman appeared in the Nashville Banner. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. November 14, 1975: About four months after their divorce, George and Tammy were still singing together. Photo by Don Foster. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. October 13, 1977: Billy Sherrill with his wife Charlene and daughter Cathy at the 1977 BMI Awards banquet in Nashville. Photo by Bill Goodman. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. March 10, 1978: Billy Sherrill at the keyboard in his office. Photo by Bill Goodman. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. January 30, 1980: Exactly a week before he cut “He Stopped Loving Her Today” (if you believe the paperwork), George Jones came to Tammy Wynette’s Nashville home to announce the two would once again record duets. Photo by Turner Hutchison. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. June 13, 1980: As “He Stopped Loving Her Today” climbed the charts, fans mobbed George Jones at his Fan Fair booth in Nashville. Photo by Bill Goodman. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. October 1981: Three of the greatest country music producers of all time, Billy Sherrill, Owen Bradley, and Larry Butler (Kenny Rogers), pose with Tree Publishing’s Buddy Killen (second from right) in the early 1980s. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. January 8, 1982: In early 1982, the Nashville Banner did a profile of songwriter Bobby Braddock. Photo by Bill Goodman. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. May 1982: Curly Putman, CBS Executive Rick Blackburn, Bobby Braddock, Billy Sherrill, and Tree Publishing’s Buddy Killen show off gold records in 1982. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. June 3, 1982: George Jones and Tammy Wynette in 1982. Photo by Bill Goodman. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. August 2, 1982: George Jones clowns around with Davidson County Sheriff Fate Thomas and pal Pee Wee Johnson. Photo by Bill Thorup. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. September 27, 1993: Songwriter Bobby Braddock posed in front of a wall full of his awards in 1993. Nashville Public Library, Special Collections Division: Nashville Banner Archives. ...