Background
"We Can Make It" was written by Glenn Sutton and Jones' new producer Billy Sherrill. In the liner notes to the 1982 compilation Anniversary - 10 Years of Hits, Sherrill admits that they composed it with Jones's recent marriage to Tammy Wynette specifically in mind, providing the singer with a song that seemed to be speaking to his wife. Both Jones and Sherrill admitted in the 1990 Jones documentary Same Ole Me, they were both extremely nervous, with the latter commenting, "I was scared to death. I was scared of him - he said he was scared of me." Sherrill added that one modification he did make to Jones's style was having him sing in lower keys because he found the vocals on his early records "really, really high, and kind of annoying, to me." "We Can Make It," which made it to #6 on the charts, contained all the hallmarks of the Sherrill sound, including an ascending introduction and his countrypolitan "wall of sound," something Jones was not altogether comfortable with; in 2006 he recalled to Billboard , "He just came up with that sound like he got with Tammy, (singing) "Ba bum ba bum ba bum," build-ups...He tried to do that with me, but I finally had a talk with him. I said, 'Billy, I'm country, I'm traditional, I know you're wanting to cross over with me like you have with Tammy, Charlie Rich and those people, but I'm hardcore and I can't help it. That's what I feel, and I can't do a good job for the label, you or anybody else if I don't feel it myself.'"
George Glenn Jones was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for a long list of hit records, and his distinctive voice and phrasing. For the last two decades of his life, Jones was frequently referred to as "the greatest living country singer". Jones has been called "The Rolls-Royce of Country Music" and had more than 160 chart singles to his name from 1955 until his death in 2013.
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Billy Norris Sherrill was an American record producer, songwriter, and arranger associated with country artists, notably Tammy Wynette and George Jones. Sherrill and business partner Glenn Sutton are regarded as the defining influences of the countrypolitan sound, a smooth amalgamation of pop and country music that was popular during the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Sherrill also co-wrote many hit songs, including "Stand by Your Man" and "The Most Beautiful Girl".
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George Jones, also titled George Jones (We Can Make It) was the 1972 country music studio album released by George Jones in April 1972. The release was Jones' 46th studio album release since a debut from 16 years previous. Also as a highlight in his career, it was the first release made on Jones' new label, Epic Records.
A Picture of Me (Without You) is an album by American country music singer George Jones. It was released in 1972 on the Epic Records label. The release was Jones' 47th studio album release Jones's second solo recording on Epic is one of five albums released by the singer in 1972 (three of his own and two duet albums with his wife Tammy Wynette) as producer Billy Sherrill wasted no time in flooding the market with new recordings by "the Possum". Jones's first album, George Jones (We Can Make It), made it to number 10 on the country albums charts but his second effort did better, rising to number three and featuring songs with a wider range of themes than those found on his Epic debut, which celebrated the happiness of new love. The album's title track was the only single release from it, peaking at #5 on the Billboard country singles charts.
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