About The Song
“Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” is a song written by Troy Seals and Max D. Barnes and recorded by American country music singer George Jones. It was released in June 1985 as the first single and title track from the album Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes. The song peaked at number three on the Hot Country Singles chart.
Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes is the 45th studio album by American country music artist George Jones, released in 1985 on the Epic Records label.
The album is best known for the title track and its classic video, which would go on to win the CMA Award for Video of the Year. In the song, Jones sings of the irreplaceability of country music legends, including Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, Marty Robbins, Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell. The music video, which was directed by Marc Ball, takes place at a roadside gas station, where the owner shares with Jones his extensive collection of albums and memorabilia from classic country music artists. It was the singer’s first music video and featured him looking healthier than he had in years. Jones’ producer Billy Sherrill appears at the beginning of the video playing the bus driver. At the end of the video, the driver of the Cadillac with bullhorns is James Morgan, he was the owner of the car, along with his wife, Judy Morgan. They also created the nostalgic set for this video. James Morgan was a fixture on the 1980s Nashville music scene. Music executive Rick Blackburn is the man in the passenger seat of the Cadillac. As Bob Allen writes in his book George Jones: The Life and Times of a Honky Tonk Legend, the song “struck a strong enough chord of empathy with old-time country music lovers to end up number three in Billboard.
The album produced two other hit singles: the concert favorite “The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)”, which also went to number 3, and the down-and-out honky tonk “cheatin and drinkin’ song” “Somebody Wants Me Out Of The Way”, which peaked at number 9. Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes also features a couple of duets with Lynn Anderson and Lacy J. Dalton.
Jones was promoting the album when he appeared at the inaugural Farm Aid benefit in 1985.
Video
Lyrics
You know this old world is full of singers
But just a few are chosen
They tear your heart out when they sing
Imagine life without them
All your radio heroes
Like the outlaw that walks through Jesse’s dreams
No, there will never be another
Red-headed stranger
A man in black and Folsom prison blues
The Okie from Muskogee
Or hello darling
Lord, I wonder who’s gonna fill their shoes
Who’s gonna fill their shoes?
Who’s gonna stand that tall?
Who’s gonna play the Opry
And the Wabash cannonball?
Who’s gonna give their heart and soul
To get to me and you?
Lord, I wonder who’s gonna fill their shoes
God bless the boys from Memphis
Blue Suede shoes and Elvis
Much too soon, he left this world in tears
They tore up the 50s
Old Jerry Lee and Charlie
And “go cat go” still echoes through the years
You know the heart of country music
Still beats in Luke The Drifter
You can tell it when he sang, I Saw The Light
Old Marty, Hank, and Lefty
Why I can feel them right here with me
On this silver Eagle rolling through the night
Who’s gonna fill their shoes?
Who’s gonna stand that tall?
Who’s gonna play the Opry
And the Wabash cannonball?
Who’s gonna give their heart and soul
To get to me and you?
Lord, I wonder who’s gonna fill their shoes
Yes, I wonder who’s gonna fill their shoes