Singing their hearts out
THE tortured relationships between real-life stars have always made for greatness on screen.
And country music, with its melancholy chords and heartfelt lyrics, seems to create a hotbed of material.
This glossy series, which was originally supposed to be a movie, stars Hollywood big-hitters Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon as country music power couple Tammy Wynette and George Jones.
Their “can’t live with, can’t live without each other” relationship was sometimes brutal but inspired some of the most iconic music of all time, with over thirty No1 hits between them.
Remembered as the First Lady of Country Music, Wynette’s most successful song Stand By Your Man remains one of the best-selling country singles by a female artist. George Jones’ tune He Stopped Loving Her Today is still widely called the greatest country song of all time.
Charting George and Tammy’s legacy, both throughout music and romantically, this follows the rollercoaster from their first meeting in the late 1960s.
George was the King of Country music. Then he met former hairdresser Tammy, who was just beginning to climb the charts.
In Nashville, George is off his head on drugs and alcohol, slumped in a backstage toilet while his entourage struggle to get him on stage. He later won the nickname “No Show Jones”.
Tammy is a huge fan and needs to win his approval to join him on tour.
There’s a spark between them, beginning a journey of obsessive love, brilliant music and plenty of emotional turmoil.
And yes, in case you’re wondering… Chastain and Shannon sing all the songs themselves…