On This Day in 1975, the Couple Known as Mr. And Mrs. Country Music Were Officially Divorced After Six Years of Marriage

On this day (March 12) in 1975, George Jones and Tammy Wynette’s divorce was finalized. Their careers flourished throughout their relationship, which was highly publicized. While married, they referred to themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Country Music, and the joint moniker stuck. The stars continued to record together after their marriage ended, finding that they were better off as friends and duet partners.

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Jones and Wynette met in 1968. At the time, Jones had been active in the music world long enough for his future wife to be a fan of his output. At the same time, Wynette was roughly two years into her career. She had already scored multiple hits. Interestingly, Jones’ former bassist, Donny Young, later known as Johnny Paycheck, co-wrote her 1966 debut single.

[RELATED: 3 of George Jones and Tammy Wynette’s Most Romantic Duets of Their Careers]

Wynette was married to her second husband, songwriter Don Chapel, at the time, and Jones became friends with both of them. Before long, they began touring together and grew closer on the road. Later that year, Jones interrupted an argument between the married couple and professed his love for Wynette. She reciprocated his feelings, and they left together that night. They tied the knot in February 1969.

George Jones and Tammy Wynette Had a Tumultuous Relationship

From the outside looking in, George Jones and Tammy Wynette were country music’s perfect power couple–a rising star and an established hitmaker with a golden voice. Behind the scenes, though, things were far from perfect.

The couple welcomed their only child, Tamela Georgette Jones, in October 1970. Their marital issue arose not long after this, according to People.

Jones was struggling with alcoholism and other substance abuse issues throughout their marriage. Wynette wrote in her autobiography that he was abusive, and once fired a rifle at her inside their Florida home. He disputed this claim in his autobiography, however,

While it is impossible to truly know what happened behind closed doors, one thing is certain: Wynette filed for divorce twice. The first filing came in 1973. However, she reportedly wasn’t serious. It was reportedly a ruse planned by Jones’ doctor to scare him into putting the bottle down. Two years later, in January 1975, Wynette filed for divorce a second time. This time, she meant it. “Our tempers flared before we could find the time to talk about what was bothering us,” Jones said when asked about the root of the couple’s problems.

They Recorded Together After the Divorce

George Jones and Tammy Wynette recorded their first duet album, We Go Together, in 1971. They released five more, including an album that also featured Tina Byrd, before they divorced.

In August 1976, they released Golden Ring, their only No. 1 album. It produced two chart-topping singles, the title track and “Near You.” Together Again came four years later, and produced the No. 2 hit “Two Story House.” The former couple released their final album, One, in June 1995.

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