George Jones - Whos Gonna Fill Their Shoes / Wine Colored Roses

During the 1980s, George Jones found a comfortable niche in the country market, cranking out slow heartbreak ballads. Like Chips Moman and other hot Nashville producers of the era, Billy Sherrill set Jones' vocals against easy-listening instrumental backgrounds, complete with electric piano, effects-heavy guitar, marimba, and celeste. The goal was to entice a crossover audience, as Willie Nelson had done with Always On My Mind' and his subsequent middle-of-the-road recordings. Both albums are very much a product of those times and as always, Jones acquits himself well. It has been said that he would sound good singing the telephone book, and he certainly sounds good singing these songs.