THIS WAS THE LAST TIME THEY EVER SANG IT TOGETHER. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” wasn’t supposed to sound like this. George Jones stood still, barely moving. Beside him, Tammy Wynette didn’t look at the crowd. She watched his hands instead. Their voices didn’t chase each other anymore. They simply existed in the same space. Every word felt careful. Like neither wanted to disturb what was already breaking. By the final line, George swallowed hard. Tammy didn’t harmonize. She waited. Some songs don’t end. They just quietly step away.
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” was never meant to sound like a farewell. When it was first written, it was simply a story song — tragic, tender, and devastating in…