After her divorce, Tammy Wynette swore she’d never sing another heartbreak song. But one evening, sitting alone in her kitchen, she hummed a few lines — soft, hesitant. Her friend George Jones walked in, listening quietly. “That’s a good one,” he said. She shook her head. “I’m done writing about pain.” He smiled that slow, knowing smile. “No, you’re just turning it into music.” A week later, she was back in the studio — and “’Til I Can Make It on My Own” was born. She didn’t sing it for the charts. She sang it to remind herself she could.
After her divorce, Tammy Wynette told everyone she was done singing heartbreak songs. She’d had enough tears, enough lonely nights, enough of standing under bright lights pretending every lyric didn’t…