Ragged But Right The Life & Times of George Jones By Dolly Carlisle Contemporary Books Inc. 1984 250 Pages ISBN:  0-8092-5537-5

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His glorious voice has filled more than 150 record albums and has earned him the Country Music Association's coveted awards for Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for "He Stopped Loving Her Today" in both 1980 and 1981. He is considered the greatest country singer of all time, a powerful talent that can move you with a single note. Yet, as his fame increased, George Jones found himself unable to cope with the demands of the high-pressure profit-machine called the music industry. To escape, he sought comfort in drugs and alcohol. Racing down a path of self-destruction, he became a haunted, shattered man, alienating family, friends, and anyone else who tried to help him. At last, the true story of George is told. From his early days as a singer in cheap, run-down honky-tonks. to his smashing success as country music's hottest star, Ragged But Right reveals the high price that George Jones paid for his fame. For the first time, George talks about the "friends" who hooked him on cocaine in order to control him. He also tells about his most desperate days when he lived out of the back seat of his car with nothing more than a bottle of Jack Daniels and a picture of his idol, Hank Williams. A sensitive family man dreamed of settling down with a loving wife and children, Georg fered three broken marriages, including one to Tammy Wynette. Ragged But Right tells the inside story of the fairy tale marriage to Tammy, their brilliant partnership as "Mr. and Mrs. Country Music" and the bitter divorce that left Geroge a broken man. Through all the rough times George has never given up on his music, nor have his fans given op on him. When he sings about the pain in his heart, you hurt for him. When he croons about the good times, you can't help but feel his joy. Ragged But Right is the honest portrayal of the gifted man behind the music, and how he has become a legend in his own time. DOLLY CARLISLE is one of only three writers ever to be named the Country Music Association's Journalist of the Year. She has trailed George Jones for over two years, spending many days interviewing him, as well as more than 100 other individuals, including family members, friends, producers, and fellow stars in the music industry. As a Special Correspondent for People magazine, she wrote four stories on George Jones.