I Am What I Am announced that George Jones had officially returned to form artistically and, in the process, it became his biggest hit album ever.
It's easy to see why -- the production is commercial without being slick, the songs are balanced between aching ballads and restrained honky tonk numbers, and Jones gives a nuanced, moving performance.
"He Stopped Loving Her Today," "I'm Not Ready Yet," and "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)" were the hits, but the remaining seven album tracks are exceptionally strong, without a weak track in the bunch.
It's mature country, both in the laid-back approach and subject matter, but that doesn't mean it's dull -- like the best country music, these are lived-in songs that are simple, direct, and emotionally powerful, even with the smooth production.
I Am What I Am is the sound of George Jones at his peak and it's the highlight of his later years.
Four bonus tracks -- "Am I Losing Your Memory or Mine?," "The Ghost of Another Man," "It's All in My Mind," and "I'm a Fool for Loving Her" -- give the 20th anniversary version of the album an added richness.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | He Stopped Loving Her TodayBobby Braddock, Curly Putman | George Jones | Play | 03:17 | 7 MB | 18 MB |
| 2 | I've Aged Twenty Years in Five | George Jones | Play | 03:16 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 3 | Brother to the BluesE. Rowell, Ernie Rowell | George Jones | Play | 02:49 | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| 4 | If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)Rick Beresford, Harlan Sanders, Karl Sanders | George Jones | Play | 03:09 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 5 | His Lovin' Her Is Gettin' in My WayBill Emerson, W. M. Emerson | George Jones | Play | 02:29 | 5 MB | 16 MB |
| 6 | I'm Not Ready YetTom T. Hall | George Jones | Play | 02:57 | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| 7 | I'm the One She Missed Him With TodayA.L. Owens | George Jones | Play | 03:00 | 6 MB | 18 MB |
| 8 | Good Hearted WomanWaylon Jennings, Willie Nelson | George Jones | Play | 02:56 | 6 MB | 19 MB |
| 9 | A Hard Act to FollowGeorge Jones, Earl Montgomery | George Jones | Play | 02:04 | 4 MB | 12 MB |
| 10 | Bone Dry | George Jones | Play | 02:15 | 5 MB | 15 MB |
| 28 mins | 65 MB | |||||
| 28 mins | 173 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rick Beresford | Composer |
| 2 | Steven Berkowitz | A&R |
| 3 | Roger Bowling | Composer |
| 4 | Bobby Braddock | Composer |
| 5 | Lou Bradley | Engineer |
| 6 | Stephanie Chernikowski | Photography |
| 7 | John Christiana | Packaging Manager |
| 8 | Frank Dycus | Composer |
| 9 | E. Rowell | Composer |
| 10 | Bill Emerson | Composer |
| 11 | W. M. Emerson | Composer |
| 12 | Howard Fritzson | Art Direction |
| 13 | Tom T. Hall | Composer |
| 14 | Don Hunstein | Photography |
| 15 | John Jackson | Product Manager |
| 16 | Waylon Jennings | Composer |
| 17 | George Jones | Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals |
| 18 | The Jordanaires | Group, Guest Artist, Vocals (Background) |
| 19 | Millie Kirkham | Vocals (Background) |
| 20 | Randall Martin | Design |
| 21 | Bill McElhiney | String Arrangements |
| 22 | Earl Montgomery | Composer |
| 23 | Willie Nelson | Composer |
| 24 | A.L. Owens | Composer |
| 25 | Joseph M. Palmaccio | Mastering |
| 26 | Curly Putman | Composer |
| 27 | Al Quaglieri | Re-Release Producer |
| 28 | Jim Reeves | Composer |
| 29 | Ron Reynolds | Engineer |
| 30 | George Richey | Composer |
| 31 | Ernie Rowell | Composer |
| 32 | Harlan Sanders | Composer |
| 33 | Karl Sanders | Composer |
| 34 | Nick Shaffran | Series Consultant |
| 35 | Billy Sherrill | Original Album Producer, Producer |
| 36 | Tim Smith | A&R |
| 37 | Wynn Stewart | Composer |
| 38 | Vern Stovall | Composer |
| 39 | J. Tipton | Composer |
| 40 | Jimmy Tipton | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |