On this day (August 6) in 1966, George Jones topped the Billboard Top Country Albums chart as a solo artist with I’m a People. The LP stayed at the chart’s summit for two weeks. He returned to the top of the chart a decade later with Golden Ring, an album of duets with Tammy Wynette. However, I’m a People was his only solo album to reach the top of the chart.
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Today, Jones is hailed by fans and critics alike as the greatest singer in the history of country music. As a result, it would be easy to believe that he sent stacks of singles and albums to the top of the Billboard country charts. However, that isn’t the case. In this way, Jones is an example of how chart success does not always determine an artist’s quality, influence, or lasting impact. Twenty-one of his 69 solo albums failed to chart, and a further three albums missed the top 40.
[RELATED: On This Day in 1966, George Jones Released His Sole No. 1 Solo Album ‘I’m a People’]
George Jones Followed Another Country Legend to No. 1
For most of George Jones’ career, he largely ignored trends and stuck as close to traditional country music and the Nashville Sound as possible. However, with I’m a People, he was seemingly following another legend’s lead. It is unclear if it was his choice or if he was doing it at the insistence of producer and Musicor Records founder Pappy Daily.
When Jones released I’m a People, an album fronted by a novelty song, Roger Miller was seeing major chart success. The previous year, Miller had a string of hits that included “Do-Wacka-Do,” “Chug-a-Lug,” “Dang Me,” and “King of the Road.” In short, novelty songs in general and Miller in particular were popular among country fans.
The album’s title track sounds like it could have been one of Miller’s novelty hits. Jones even took a shot at copying Miller’s scat-singing on the track. In the end, it worked. Both the song and the album were hits. The title track peaked at No. 6 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Featured Image by Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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