On This Date: George Jones Released His Debut Single “No Money In This Deal” Way Back In 1954

George Jones country music

Ol’ Possum, he was a wild one I’ll tell ya what…

George Jones will go down as one of the most beloved, polarizing, and well known country music singers of all time.

Although the man had his share of struggles with substance abuse and alcoholism off stage, which has made for some WILD stories (with a lot of them involving his ex-wife Tammy Wynette), his ability to deliver a song and capture a crowd are comparable to only a select few.

With that being said, we’re taking it all the way back to his humble beginnings, when he released his debut single  “No Money in This Deal” on this date back in 1954.

Jones was only 22-years-old at the time, just signing his first record deal with Starday Records. He went to Beaumont, Texas to record for his first time in producer Jack Starnes’ living room.

He recalled his first time recording the song in his autobiography:

“I can’t imagine being as nervous today as I was when I cut my first two songs for Starday at age twenty-two. When anybody gets nervous they rely on their reflexes, and I was no exception.

I simply did what I had been doing all along, singing like my musical influences… Hank Williams, Roy Acuff, and Lefty Frizzell.”

Although the song only saw regional success, it kickstarted a journey that led to a Hall of Fame career.

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