Tammy Wynette & George Jones' Love Story, Told Across Their Biggest Hits
From "Take Me" to "Two Story House," George and Tammy's love story played out in song.
After creating nine studio albums together and delivering countless glimmering singles to country music's 70s and 80s golden era, Tammy Wynette and George Jones have long been regarded as one of the genre's most iconic duos.
Wynette — often hailed as the "First Lady" of country music — and Jones, known for his evocative vocals, first crossed paths in the late 1960s while on tour together. Both were at the pinnacle of their solo careers, but after performing together, they created a synergy that captivated audiences far and wide.
A romantic connection soon bloomed between the country stars, with their subsequent marriage playing out over the course of five years as they released hit after hit. While the couple divorced five years after tying the knot, Wynette and Jones still managed to capture lightning in a bottle with each musical reunion, producing many beloved duets centered around the joys of falling in love and the sting of saying goodbye to that special someone.
Both influential figures at the Grand Ole Opry, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a three-hour live event on March 19 — NBC's Opry 100: A Live Celebration — Wynette and Jones are remembered through their music. Read on to revisit the country power couple's biggest hits.
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"Take Me"
Wynette and Jones produced a remarkable body of work together that remains celebrated to this day, but few could forget their debut single, "Take Me," from their first studio album, We Go Together (1971). The album peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Country Albums chart, with the swoon-worthy single "Take Me" charting partly thanks to the buzz surrounding Wynette and Jones' new relationship. With lyrics like "And the coldest weather of the winter time / And it would be just like spring in California / As long as I knew you were mine," Wynette and Jones sang of new love, and country fans wanted more.
"The Ceremony"
One of Wynette and Jones' most iconic duets was 1972's "The Ceremony," largely inspired by Wynette and Jones' 1969 wedding. The song mimicked a wedding service and became the couple's second Top 10 single, peaking at No. 6. on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. The song is a fairytale duet between newlyweds, with lyrics that lean into every romantic cliche leading up to the Big Day.
"We're Gonna Hold On"
While country fans obsessed over Wynette and Jones' relationship, the couple's connection was often fraught behind closed doors; the pair nearly separated in 1973 before deciding to stay together (for a while). Released in 1973, "We're Gonna Hold On" touches on some of their marital woe as the couple sings of their grand love for each other, choosing to fight and stay hopeful through the immensity of their challenges. As the couple's first-ever No. 1 hit on Billboard's Country charts, it's a timeless duet and a critical piece of lore for all George & Tammy fans.
"We Loved It Away"
Released in 1974, "We Loved It Away" is another classic from the couple, albeit for a bittersweet reason; it was Jones and Wynette's final single before their divorce in 1975 and touched on the pains of a relationship falling apart. The song appeared on the couple's sixth studio album, George & Tammy & Tina, an LP that featured performances from Wynette's then-8-year-old daughter, Tina. With lyrics like "And I'll admit at times, we had rough goin' / But in each other's arms, we loved it away," it was clear that Wynette and Jones had changed their tune.
"Golden Ring"
Wynette and Jones' 1976 track "Golden Ring" is one of the couple's greatest yet saddest hits, telling the story of a wedding ring's journey from a pawn shop, to a proposal, then back to the same pawn shop after the relationship's end. "Only love can make a golden wedding ring," they sing. The tune rang as a melodic chronicle of the couple's ill-fated end and served as the titular track for their 1976 album.
"Near You"
"Near You" is Wynette and Jones' biggest post-divorce single from their Golden Ring era. The public's obsession with Wynette and Jones' relationship made it so that it was no shock when "Near You" became a grand slam as a romantic ballad sung between two former lovers. In the same way Fleetwood Mac's 1997 performance of "Silver Spring" left their fans tearful about an ill-fated love, Wynette and Jones' "Near You" rendered fans haunted by the end of country music's "First Couple."
"Southern California"
Following their split, Jones and Wynette continued forth with their respective solo careers but sporadically reunited over the next two decades. In 1977, Wynette and Jones released a Greatest Hits album, delivering fans the new single, "Southern California." The song tells the story of a woman leaving her lover in Tennessee to pursue dreams out West. Taking a step back from their own love story, "Southern California" was a dreamy, light-hearted addition to the duo's lovelorn discography.
"Two Story House"
While the fires of their romance had died, Wynette and Jones' affinity for creating charting country singles inspired the former lovers to reunite in the studio for their 1980 album, Together Again. The biggest single off the album was "Two Story House," a song that tells the story of two dreamers who filled their home with everything but love. Considering the couple's disheartening history, fans obsessed over lyrics like, "There's chandeliers in every room / Imported silks and satin all about / We filled the house with everything / But somehow left love out."
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Jones and Wynette, who passed away in 2013 and 1998, respectively, stole hearts with their emotional energy and heartfelt artistry until their final album together in 1995. Creating an incredible portfolio of hits over the span of two decades, the duo's timeless duets have since touched the hearts of millions. Their love story may have come to an end, but with their explosive musical chemistry, George and Tammy solidified their status as country music legends.
