Category Archives: George Strait

Out of all the new country singers to emerge in the early ’80s, George Strait stayed the closest to traditional country. Drawing from both the honky tonk and Western swing traditions, Strait didn’t refashion the genres; instead, he revitalized them for a new decade. In the process, he became one of the most successful and influential singers of the decade, sparking a wave of neo-traditionalist singers from Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam to Clint Black, Garth Brooks, and Alan Jackson.

Strait was born and raised in Texas, the son of a junior high school teacher who also owned and operated a ranch that had been in the Strait family for nearly hundred years. When George was a child, his mother departed the family, taking her daughter but leaving behind her sons with the father. at a time of his childhood, he would spend his weekdays in town and his weekends on the ranch. Strait started playing music as a teenager, joining a rock & roll garage group. After his high-school graduation in the late ’60s, Strait enrolled in college but soon dropped out and eloped with his high-school sweetheart, Norma. In 1971, Strait enlisted in the Army; two years later, he was stationed Hawaii. while in Hawaii, he started performing country music, initially with an Army-sponsored country group called Rambling Country. They played several dates off the base under the name Santee. Strait exited the Army in 1975, returning to Texas with the intent of completing his education. He enrolled in Southwest Texas State University at San Marcos, where he studied agriculture. during he was studying, he formed his own country band, Ace in the Hole.

Ace in the Hole made a few records for the independent Dallas-based label D in the late ’70s, but they never went anywhere. Toward the end of the decade, Strait attempted to carve out a niche in Nashville, but he failed since he lacked any strong connections. In 1979, he became friends with Erv Woolsey, a Texas club owner who had formerly worked for MCA Records. Woolsey had several MCA executives come down to Texas to hear Strait. His performance convinced the company to sign him in 1980. “Unwound,” Strait’s first single, was released in the spring of 1981 and climbed into the Top Ten. The follow-up, “Down and Out,” stalled at 16, but “If You’re Thinking You Want a Stranger (There’s One Coming Home)” reached number three in early 1982. The song sparked a remarkable string of Top Ten hits that ran well into the ’90s. during that time he had an astonishing 31 number one singles, beginning with 1982’s “Fool Hearted Memory.”

Throughout the ’80s, he dominated the country singles charts, and his units consistently went platinum or gold. Strait rarely abandoned hardcore honky tonk and Western swing — toward the beginning of the ’90s, his sound became a little slicker, but it was only a relative change. Strait was also one of the few ’80s superstars to survive the generational shift of the early ’90s that began with the phenomenal success of Brooks. In 1992, he made his first movie, Pure Country, which featured him in the lead role. Strait released a four-disc box set career retrospective, Strait Out of the Box, in 1995. By the spring of 1996, it had become one of the five biggest-selling box sets in successful material history. Blue Clear Sky, his 1996 album, debuted on the country charts at number one and the pop charts at number seven. In 1997, he issued Carrying Your Love with Me, not long after it with One Step at a Time in 1998. Always Never the Same appeared a year later, as did the seasonal effort Merry Christmas Wherever You Are. The simply titled George Strait, featuring the hit single “Go On,” hit the shelves in late 2000.

Did Strait slow down? Nay. The following year saw the release of The Road Less Traveled, which qualified as an experimental record of sorts for the veteran performer. during it didn’t stray very far from his new traditionalist country sound, Road did include a foray into vocal processing that was about as country as a twosome of stiletto-healed cowboy boots. But the experimentation was welcome, for it revealed that Strait was still hungry, even after millions upon millions of records sold. Strait issued two projects in 2003. For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome chronicled his headlining set at the last Houston Livestock and Rodeo ever held in the big Texas dome, while Honkytonkville was a fiery set of hard country, lauded by critics for its mixture of the old Strait with his modern, superstar self. Somewhere Down in Texas arrived in 2005, followed by It Just Comes Natural in 2006 and Troubadour and the holiday album Classic Christmas in 2008. Twang, co-produced by Strait and Tony Brown, appeared in 2009.

George Strait Teams Up With LENOVO For Benefit of the 100 Club of San Antonio

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KING OF COUNTRY MUSIC AND GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ARTIST, GEORGE STRAIT, TEAMS UP WITH LENOVO FOR EXCLUSIVE CHARITY AUCTION BENEFITTING THE 100 CLUB OF SAN ANTONIO WHAT: This holiday season, the king of country music and GRAMMY Award winning artist, George Strait, has teamed up with Lenovo for an exclusive charity auction. Beginning December 16, fans can head over to http://bit.ly/2Mftc5h to bid on an autographed Lenovo YOGA laptop. Funds from the high bid will benefit The 100 Club of San Antonio, which services families of First Responders.

George Strait’s “Pure Country” to be released on vinyl for first time

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George Strait News on Country Music News Blog

When George Strait walks the 60-steps from the gauntlet to the center stage at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 1 and 2, he will do so knowing countless fans of his 6x Platinum-selling Pure Country will be in the crowd as they celebrate its silver anniversary alongside the King of Country. In honor of the anniversary, the Pure Country soundtrack will appear for the first time on vinyl with a limited-edition pressing made available in conjunction with September shows (released-wide 25 years to-the-day since it initially hit shelves, Sept. 15). Strait will pay special tribute to the film’s impact on his music for a not-to-be missed set of shows. In a rare interview and iconic nearly-8,000-word profile in The New Yorker, Strait divulged that he was initially reluctant to star as the lead in the feature film. In the profile (link here; The New Yorker Radio Hour “On the Record with Kelefa Sanneh” conversation here; podcast available beginning Tuesday, Aug. 1), Strait revealed he “was persuaded by the producer Jerry Weintraub, and by Colonel Tom Parker, the former manager of Elvis Presley… After a concert in Las Vegas, Parker told Strait how important Hollywood had been to Presley. ‘Elvis hated making those movies,’ he said—but they transformed him from a pop star to an icon.’” Serendipitously, from his Las Vegas shows this weekend at T-Mobile Arena, Strait revealed his plans to honor the motion picture’s connection to fans over the last 25 years with a special spotlight on the music and stories behind some of the soundtrack’s most beloved songs. In observance of the release of the vinyl and the film’s silver anniversary, the Alamo Drafthouse, an independent movie theater chain founded in Austin, Texas with 28 locations nationwide, will host special screenings of Pure Country throughout the month of August. Known for a completely immersive experience, providing food and beverages during their showings along with a strict no talking/no cell phone policy, it’s the perfect way for fans, old and new, to relive their favorite moments and songs while experiencing Dusty on the big screen once again. What’s equally as impressive is that even though Pure Country is Strait’s highest-selling single album RIAA 6x Platinum Certification, his 50 Number Ones and Strait Out of the Box have sold 7 and 8 million copies respectively, with Sanneh noting, “One of the things that really makes George Strait unusual is longevity and consistency… He’s become the defining voice of country music.” George Strait’s Final Four Shows of 2017 are as follows: Friday, Sept. 1, 2017 Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017 Friday, Dec. 8, 2017 Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017

George Strait to Make History with Next Chapter, Beginning April 7

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30 No. 1’s Friday, April 7 and 30 No. 1’s Saturday, April 8 + fan-favorite hits including “Amarillo By Morning” and “Troubadour” for one weekend only at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. With a North American record-setting final tour stop sell-out at AT&T Stadium on his The Cowboy Rides Away Tour, 104,793 fans helped multiple ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year George Strait bring one chapter of his inimitable touring career to a close, but the book is far from over for the iconic artist who continues to rank among country music’s most-streamed artists, logging more than four billion audio streams and counting as of this week. In 2015, Strait revealed he would perform a series of exclusive worldwide engagements at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that commenced last April and continue through 2017, including his most recent sold-out dates with Kacey Musgraves. The two Texans closed the Strait To Vegas shows by playing for a capacity crowd of more than 33,000 people between Feb. 17 and 18. During the closing weekend, Musgraves sat down with Strait to ask him fan-submitted questions via Facebook Live, where he shared things like his bucket list item of fishing in Cuba and his first memory of playing in Las Vegas. But the primary question on every fan’s mind was: “What is the future of his live concerts?” Strait answered their question: the reputable country star revealed that his exclusive performances in Las Vegas will continue — with a twist. Strait has announced that he will shake things up with an unprecedented two nights of No. 1’s beginning with his April 7-8 shows. With an unmatched 60 singles hitting the top of the charts during the span of his career and more than 283,000 fans streaming Strait’s “60 #1 Hits” playlist on Spotify every month, the King of Country wanted to share these radio hits plus several fan-favorites such as “Amarillo By Morning” and “Troubadour” that, surprisingly to many, never reached No. 1. During Strait’s upcoming 2 Nights of Number 1’s, he will play 30 No. 1 hits Friday, April 7 and 30 No. 1 hits Saturday, April 8, in addition to those “can’t miss” classics. “I think some fans would throw something at me if I didn’t play those,” Strait noted with his signature grin. “We’re going to try this out in April and change it up for those shows, then see how it goes. It’s important to me to hear what the fans think and take it from there.” Strait elaborated,”We’re going to be rehearsing, I would say 25 songs that we haven’t played in years, so this should be fun!” Speaking of hits, his Strait Out of the Box: Part 2 is available now. The impressive three-disc, 56-track collection features 36 hit singles – including 26 No. 1’s – plus two new songs co-written by Strait, along with 18 choice album cuts. Strait Out of the Box: Part 2 spans 20 years of Strait’s career from 1996 to 2016 and follows the highly successful, 8x Platinum-selling 1995 release, Strait Out of the Box. Ticketing information is available at StraitToVegas.com.

George Strait Takes on Vegas One More Time!

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Strait adds four weekends in 2017 following his sold-out Strait to Vegas exclusive concert series; tickets on sale Friday, Dec. 2 Strait to live-stream from Texas tonight with live concert beginning at 7 p.m. CT via Strait.WranglerNetwork.com Strait Out of the Box: Part 2 available at Walmart and Walmart.com Friday, Nov. 18 SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Just hours prior to a rare album release show live-streamed from his home state of Texas in support of his forthcoming Strait Out of the Box: Part 2 three-disc collection today, “King of Country Music” George Strait announced that he will be returning to Las Vegas for four additional weekends at T-Mobile Arena in 2017. Billed as 2 Nights of Number 1’s, the limited engagement with back-to-back nights of straight No. 1’s will showcase live performances of Strait’s unparalleled 60 No. 1 hits plus fan favorites over each weekend, with GRAMMY-nominated country singer / songwriter Cam joining as support. Tickets for all dates will go on sale Friday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. PT via www.StraitToVegas.com. The all-new 2017 shows follow Strait’s wildly popular, sold-out Strait to Vegas exclusive concert series at T-Mobile Arena, which is nearing the wrap of its first year of worldwide exclusive engagements with a pair of shows on Friday, Dec. 2 through Saturday, Dec. 3 and previously announced and sold-out 2017 shows Friday, Feb. 17 through Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

KINGS OF LEON, STEVIE NICKS, GEORGE STRAIT AND MANY MORE TO HONOR TOM PETTY

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Jackson Browne, Gary Clark Jr., Foo Fighters, Don Henley, CHRIS HILLMAN and HERB PEDERSEN, Norah Jones, Elle King, Kings of Leon, Jeff Lynne, Randy Newman, stevie nicks, regina spektor, george strait, THE BANGLES, and lucinda williams TO HONOR Tom PettY AS 2017 MUSICARES® PERSON OF THE YEAR T Bone Burnett Announced As Musical Director Of Star-Studded Tribute Concert To Benefit MusiCares®‘ Emergency Financial Assistance And Addiction Recovery Programs WHO:             Performances by multi-GRAMMY®-winning artists Foo Fighters, Don Henley, Norah Jones, Kings Of Leon, Randy Newman, Stevie Nicks, and Lucinda Williams; GRAMMY-winning artists Gary Clark Jr., Jeff Lynne, and George Strait; GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriters Jackson Browne, Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen, Elle King, and Regina Spektor; and rock band the Bangles. Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers will close the evening’s performances. Multi-GRAMMY-winning artist and producer T Bone Burnett will serve as musical director. Additional performers will be announced shortly. Attendees will include Neil Portnow, President/CEO of MusiCares® and The Recording Academy®; Alexandra Patsavas, Chair of MusiCares; Bill Silva, Chair Emeritus of MusiCares; and John Branca, Honorary Chair of MusiCares. The event’s Tribute Chairs are Olivia Harrison, MusiCares Board Member; Ringo Starr, multi-GRAMMY-winning artist; and Cameron Strang, chairman/CEO of Warner Bros. Records. Past MusiCares Person of the Year honorees include: Tony Bennett, Bono, Natalie Cole, Phil Collins, David Crosby, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin, Don Henley, Billy Joel, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Paul McCartney, Luciano Pavarotti, Bonnie Raitt, Lionel Richie, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, and Neil Young. WHAT:           Tom Petty will be honored as the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year in celebration of his extraordinary creative accomplishments and significant charitable work. Proceeds from the annual Person of the Year tribute—now in its 27th year—provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical, and personal need. GALA:                        The 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year gala will begin with a reception and silent auction offering an exclusive and unparalleled selection of luxury items, VIP experiences, and one-of-a-kind celebrity memorabilia for bidding guests. The reception and silent auction will be followed by a gala dinner, a tribute concert featuring renowned musicians and other artists, and the award presentation. This year, for the first time, a limited number of VIP experience tables will be available for $75,000 that include: 10 seats, red carpet entrance, access to artist rehearsal and special backstage area (day before event), private pre-show reception with dedicated staff and personal auction bidding kiosk, front row table placement, enhanced dining experience, and exclusive gift bag with a limited-edition commemorative item. For more information on purchasing tables and tickets to the event, or placing ads/messages in the tribute journal, please contact Dana Tomarken at MusiCares, 310.392.3777. The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute ceremony is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY Week, which culminates with the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards® at Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017. The Continue reading KINGS OF LEON, STEVIE NICKS, GEORGE STRAIT AND MANY MORE TO HONOR TOM PETTY→

GEORGE STRAIT TO RELEASE 20-TRACK LIVE ALBUM SEPTEMBER 16 THE COWBOY RIDES AWAY: LIVE FROM AT&T STADIUM

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George Strait: The Cowboy Rides Away Two-Hour Concert Special Airs August 29 Exclusively on CMT NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Monday, August 18, 2014) – Country icon George Strait is offering fans a 20-track live album recorded at his momentous The Cowboy Rides Away Tour finale at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Cowboy Rides Away: Live From AT&T Stadium commemorates a night of celebration for one of the most influential figures in country music. Due in stores Sep. 16, the MCA Nashville release contains hits from throughout Strait’s remarkable 30+ year career, features special guests Jason Aldean, Ray Benson, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert and Martina McBride, and introduces George “Bubba” Strait, Jr. The undisputed “King of Country Music” and reigning ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year performed for over 1 million fans during his two-year, record-breaking, final U.S. tour. The Cowboy Rides Away: Live From AT&T Stadium epitomizes the energy and shared emotion largely thanks to a Texas-sized crowd of nearly 105,000. Equally prevalent on the album is Strait’s sentimentality and immense gratitude for his legion of fans. As previously announced, Strait fans have an opportunity to relive the June 7, 2014 The Cowboy Rides Away Tour Dallas date with a two-hour “George Strait: The Cowboy Rides Away” concert special airing Aug. 29 exclusively on CMT (check local listings). Find out more straight from the source! http://ebmediapr.com/georgestrait/695-george-strait-to-release-20-track-live-album-september-16-the-cowboy-rides-away-live-from-atat-stadium

CMNB Welcomes You to 2014

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It’s been a long holiday break here at the CMNB headquarters, but we’re happy to be back behind the newsdesk! There’s been a few changes in staff as our writers have graduated on to bigger and better things. We’ll keep you posted on where MissMolly and HaleighT turn up, but in the meantime, you’ve still got me, the ole’ WhiskeyChick. We are currently accepting guest posts and albums for review, and we’re looking forward to one heck of a concert tour season in 2014 to cover for you!   Rumor has it Garth Brooks will be hitting the road with wife, Trisha Yearwood. George Strait will be making his last big go-round on the Cowboy Rides Away tour, and who knows who’s going to fill the big man’s spot in the arenas next? Perhaps Jason Aldean? Luke Bryan? Brad Paisley? And when will Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban take the stage next? Of course, let’s not leave out the ladies either… Taylor, Martina, Carrie, Miranda, Kacey and more are already prepping their 2014 concert tour season as well! Of course, as always, we’ll keep you posted as we get the news. Until then, let’s brave out the rest of this harsh winter together and keep our country rockin! Cheers! ~WC~

GEORGE STRAITANNOUNCES STAR-STUDDED LINEUP FOR FINAL SHOW AT AT&T STADIUM IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS

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Tickets to go on sale at 10:00 AM CST on Friday, December 6 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 19, 2013) – Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year and “King of Country” George Strait will play his final concert June 7, 2014 at the 100,000-seat capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The show, which is the last date for Quicken Loans Presents George Strait’s The Cowboy Rides Away Tour 2014, will include an all-star lineup of guest artists (performing three songs each) including Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and Lee Ann Womack. Fittingly, the opening act for Strait’s final concert will be the “Kings of Texas Swing” and six-time Grammy Award-winning group, Asleep At The Wheel. Tickets for the highly-anticipated concert will go on sale to the public Friday, December 6 at 10:00 AM CST and can be purchased via Strait’s official website here. Find out more straight from the source! http://ebmediapr.com/georgestrait/555–george-strait-to-bring-it-home-with-star-studded-lineup-for-final-show-at-atat-stadium-in-arlington-texas

GEORGE STRAIT’S GOLF TOURNAMENT AND AUCTION RAISES RECORD FUNDS

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Third annual fundraiser at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort & Spa brings in more than $425,000 for Feherty’s Troops First Foundation NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 12, 2013) – Newly crowned CMA Entertainer of the Year George Strait and Texas businessman Tom Cusick hosted the third annual Vaqueros del Mar Invitational Golf Tournament and Auction at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort & Spa in Boerne, Texas on Saturday, November 2 and Sunday, November 3. Strait and Cusick, who are joint owners of the resort and spa, first created the fundraiser in November 2011 to support wounded U.S. servicemen and women. This year’s event benefited Feherty’s Troops First Foundation, an organization that provides meaningful assistance to military members who have been wounded serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. The weekend-long event was filled with non-stop excitement, kicking off with a roping competition at Cusick’s exclusive Texas hill country community Estancia at Thunder Valley, just minutes from the resort. Strait participated in the roping event, and Norma Strait and Silvia Cusick made a grand entrance by riding into the rodeo arena on a pair of Texas Longhorn bulls. Find out more straight from the source! http://ebmediapr.com/georgestrait/550-george-straits-vaqueros-del-mar-invitational-golf-tournament-and-auction-raises-record-funds-for-military-servicemen-and-women-