The Rock: Stone Cold Country 2001

At 70, after passing through half a century of shows, recordings, and overindulgence, George Jones's voice, always a miraculous instrument, is at the peak of its prowess in exploring the human condition. By and large the material here rises to that occasion. "Wood and Wire," a homage to amateur guitar pickers; the confessional, soul-baring "Half Over You"; and "I Am" are all vivid and telling. The boogie-bop of "I Got Everything" revives Jones's old "Thumper Jones" rockabilly persona, while his interpretation of "50,000 Names," Jamie O'Hara's wrenching tribute to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is no less than spellbinding. "Beer Run," the much-hyped duet with Garth Brooks (and a variation on the Jones classic "White Lightning"), finds Brooks way out of his element. But nothing can prepare a listener for the cathartic version of Billy Joe Shaver's "Tramp on Your Street," starting with a full-blown arrangement that sheds instruments until only steel and acoustic guitars surround Jones's voice at the end. Dramatic without artifice, it's an ingenious ending to a remarkable document. --Rich Kienzle