George Jones was a man who lived a thousand lives, most of them soundtracked by the low, mournful hum of a steel guitar and the clinking of glasses he probably shouldn't have been touching. We know him as "The Possum." We know him as the voice behind "He Stopped Loving Her Today," the song widely considered the greatest country record ever made. But there is a specific corner of his massive discography that fans return to when the world feels particularly heavy. It’s a song called George Jones I Know a Man Who Can, and honestly, it might be the most honest three minutes and fifty-eight seconds he ever put to tape.
It isn't a honky-tonk anthem. It isn't a song about a cheating heart or a lawnmower ride to the liquor store. It’s gospel. Pure, unvarnished, and surprisingly desperate.
Released as part of his 2003 project The Gospel Collection, the track came at a time when Jones was finally, mercifully, sober. He was in his 70s. His voice, once a supple instrument that could slide between octaves like silk, had started to fray at the edges. You can hear the grit in it. You can hear the miles. When he sings about a man who can "take a heart that's broken and make it over again," he isn't just reciting lyrics he bought from a Nashville songwriter. He’s testifying.
The Story Behind the Song
Most people think of George Jones as strictly a country singer, but he was raised on the "Hallelujah" side of the tracks. He grew up in the Pentecostal church in East Texas. His mother, Clara, played the piano. Little George would stand in the streets of Beaumont, playing for change to help the family, but on Sundays, he was in those pews. Gospel was his first language.
By the time he recorded George Jones I Know a Man Who Can, he had been through the wringer. He’d survived four marriages, a near-fatal car wreck in 1999 that almost silenced him forever, and decades of "No-Show Jones" antics that turned him into a punchline before he became a legend again.
The song itself was written by Jack Campbell and Jimmie Davis. Davis, a former governor of Louisiana, was a gospel heavyweight, but in George’s hands, it became something different. It didn't feel like a formal hymn. It felt like a conversation between a man who had broken everything he ever touched and the only Power he believed could fix it.
Why the 2003 Version Matters
There are plenty of gospel covers out there. Most are shiny. They’re polished. They have that "Sunday Best" energy where everyone is smiling and the choir is perfectly in sync.
Jones didn't do that.
Working with legendary producer Billy Sherrill—the same man who pushed him to record his biggest hits—Jones kept the production on The Gospel Collection surprisingly grounded. He brought in Sheri Copeland and Barry Smith for those soaring background vocals, creating a contrast. You have these beautiful, angelic harmonies swirling around George’s weathered, gravelly lead. It’s the sound of a sinner standing in the middle of a cathedral.
George Jones I Know a Man Who Can: Breaking Down the Impact
If you listen closely to the lyrics, the song is basically a list of human limitations. It starts by admitting what we can't do. We can't fix a soul that’s "sin-sick." We can't make a broken heart whole on our own.
- The Vocal Phrasing: George was the king of the "dip and swell." He would start a note low, almost a whisper, and then let it bloom into a cry. In this song, he uses that technique to emphasize the word "can." It’s a small detail, but it changes the entire emotional weight of the chorus.
- The Timing: In 2003, country music was changing. It was becoming more "pop," more manufactured. George releasing a double-disc gospel album was a defiant act. He was telling the industry that the old ways—the soul-searching, the grit, the faith—still had a place.
- The Authenticity: You can’t fake this kind of singing. You just can't. Fans flocked to this track because they knew George’s history. When he says he knows a man who can "make it white as the snow," you’re thinking about the cocaine, the whiskey, and the decades of regret. It’s a redemptive arc that feels earned.
What Most People Get Wrong About George's Gospel Phase
A lot of critics dismissed George’s later work as "legacy" fluff. They figured he was just checking boxes or fulfilling a contract. That’s a mistake.
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Honestly, if you look at his 1996 memoir, I Lived to Tell It All, you see a man who was haunted by his past. He didn't turn to gospel because it was easy. He turned to it because he was terrified. He felt he had wasted so much time, and songs like George Jones I Know a Man Who Can were his way of making peace.
He wasn't just singing to an audience; he was singing to himself.
The track peaked high on the Christian charts, reaching number 3, which is wild when you consider he was a 71-year-old country singer competing with contemporary CCM artists. It crossed over because the emotion was universal. You don't have to be a regular churchgoer to feel the relief in his voice when he hits that final chorus.
Legacy and Where to Listen
Today, this song lives on in "Sunday Morning Country" playlists and YouTube tribute videos with millions of views. It’s a staple for anyone going through a hard time.
If you're looking to dive into this side of the Possum, don't stop at just this one track. The Gospel Collection is a massive 24-song journey. It includes "Amazing Grace," "Why Me Lord," and a haunting version of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." But George Jones I Know a Man Who Can remains the standout. It’s the thesis statement of his final years.
Actionable Takeaways for the George Jones Fan
- Compare the Eras: Listen to George’s 1974 album In a Gospel Way and then play the 2003 version of I Know a Man Who Can. The difference in his voice—the transition from technical perfection to emotional depth—is a masterclass in aging as an artist.
- Watch the Live Performances: There are rare clips of George performing gospel sets late in his career. Look for the way he closes his eyes during the chorus of this song. It tells you everything you need to know about his state of mind.
- Check the Credits: Take a look at the work of Jack Campbell. He wrote many of the songs that became bedrock for the Southern Gospel movement, and seeing how George interprets his work vs. traditional gospel groups is fascinating.
George Jones passed away in 2013, but he left behind a map for anyone who’s ever felt lost. He didn't pretend to be a saint. He didn't pretend he had all the answers. He just pointed to the one "man who can," and in doing so, he gave us one of the most powerful performances in the history of the genre.