This ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ Cover Does George Jones Proud [LISTEN]

George Jones released "He Stopped Loving Her Today" in 1980, and very few people have tried to cover it on a record.

That changed this week.

A new country cover is worthy of the effort.

Even if you've never heard the name Jake Worthington, you're not soon to forget the voice.

• Worthington's cover of George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is found on Country Never Dies, a compilation of classic country covers arranged by Gavin Adcock.
• He's a 30-year-old best known for being runner-up to Josh Kaufman on Season 6 of The Voice.
• Last year, Worthington released the When I Write the Song album on Miranda Lambert's Big Loud Texas label.

What makes covering "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is that few can match Jones' pure country voice.

He's been called the best vocalist of all time in the genre, and this is one of his greatest performances.

That makes covering the ballad a little like trying to paint the Mona Lisa.

Related: Introducing Taste of Country's RISERS: 2026 Artists to Watch

Worthington is up for the task. Listen as he adds subtle vocal inflections to the original arrangement.

It's enough to make it unique, but not so much that country loyalists will bark at the change.

Who Is Jake Worthington?

In 2024, Jake Worthington became the second artist ever signed with Big Loud Texas, Lambert and Jon Randall's Big Loud imprint.

This came after a stint with the parent company, which came several years after he appeared on The Voice as a member of Team Blake.

A cover of Keith Whitley earned him a spot on that show, and another earned him the ear of Ernest, who put the ball in motion for Worthington to join Big Loud.

The married father to baby Whitley Anne currently lives in Oklahoma, but this could be a breakout year for him.

He was one of nine artists named as the Grand Ole Opry’s NextStage Class of 2026.