Three Chords And The Truth: Essential Country Music Songs: “White Lightening”- George Jones. “White Lightening” was the first #1 country hit by George Jones- released on February 9, 1959. The date is important because the song was written by one J.P. Richardson aka “The Big Bopper” who had been killed along with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens in the infamous plane crash.Jones had been longtime friends with Richardson. When the song was recorded Jones arrived heavily intoxicated and it took him 80 tracks to get the track down. The upright bass player on the song ended up suffering from severely blistered fingers due to having to play the song 80 times- his name was Buddy Holly. The single even had crossover appeal – peaking at #73 in the Billboard Hot 100.
slicethelife 
Wow, I didn’t know that story!
Sounds like should have laid off the white lightnin before going to the recording studio! This song has even greater significance knowing all that. I love how he sings it. He sure was a cult of personality wasn’t he.
lol..
My mind is still boggling at 80 takes!!!!!!! Poor Buddy 😦
Jones was still in his 20s at that point too.. the others with him that day must have had a lot of patience.
Your take even makes me like the song more. “There’s drunk and there’s George Jones drunk”.