Written By: Larry Wayne Clark

How do you write a critique about the man many claim to be the greatest country singer ever to draw breath? Answer: you don’t. You simply marvel at the dozens of hits and the unforgettable artistry that turned so many of them to classics, finally adding a few more drops to the ocean of ink describing the half-century career of George Glenn Jones. All the hits are here, starting with mid-’50s honky-tonkers like “Why Baby Why” and “Tall Tall Trees” (which make us wonder sadly why Jones the songwriter laid down his pen so early).

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For the country fan who thinks the last great Nashville hit was “He Stopped Loving Her Today": “George Jones: 50 Years of Hits” (Bandit, three discs, $30.98). This grand tour of Jones’ half-century career begins with 1955’s “Why Baby Why” and concludes with “Amazing Grace,” recorded for the artist’s recent gospel album. Disc No. 2 covers Jones’ 1970s glory years, but it’s the Jones-Alan Jackson duet “A Good Year for the Roses,” which shows up at the end of Disc No. 1, that will take you straight to hillbilly heaven.