He took off his hat… and for a moment, time stood still. At George Jones’s funeral in 2013, Alan Jackson stepped onto the Grand Ole Opry stage and began to sing a song that once almost didn’t see the light of day. “He said, ‘I’ll love you ‘til I die’…”—the room fell utterly silent. That wasn’t just a performance. It was a farewell wrapped in love, grief, and the haunting power of a song that changed country music forever. When “He Stopped Loving Her Today” was recorded in 1979, even George Jones doubted it. Too sad, too grim, he said. But producer Billy Sherrill believed—and when it hit the airwaves in 1980, it soared to No. 1, reviving Jones’s career and earning him a Grammy. Today, it’s not just a hit—it’s the song that defines an entire genre. That day in Nashville, Alan Jackson didn’t just honor a friend. He reminded us all why this song lives on in the hearts of millions. It wasn’t just about George Jones. It was about every goodbye we’ve never quite gotten over
Introduction “He Stopped Loving Her Today” was recorded in 1979 and released on April 14, 1980, as the lead single…