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George Harvey Strait (born May 18, 1952 –
), is an American country music artist. He has the second most number
one hit songs among any artist in any genre in history, totaling 53
number one hit songs (Conway Twitty had 55 number one hits). Most recent
#1 occurred on September 18, 2006 with "Give It Away" which will be on
Strait's new album It Just Comes Natural. Strait has sold a reported 62
million albums, and his certifications from the RIAA include 13
multi-platinum, 30 platinum and 33 gold albums. According to the RIAA,
he has received more Gold albums than any other country artist, and he
is currently tied with Frank Sinatra in eighth place for the most gold
albums of any artist in any musical genre. Strait has received 16 CMA
Awards, including consecutive entertainer of the year honors in 1989 and
1990. Strait is often referred to as the "King of Country" and some
critics call Strait a living legend. The native Texan is adored by
millions of fans around the world for his smooth, honky tonk,
traditional country western sound.
****
Background information
Birth name George Harvey Strait
Also known as King George
Born May 18, 1952
Origin Poteet, TX, USA
Genre(s) Country Music
Occupation(s) Country music artist
Years active 1981 – Present
Label(s) MCA Nashville Records
(1981 – Present)
Website www.georgestrait.com
Members
Country Music Hall of Fame
Former members
Ace in the Hole Band
****
Biography
Strait was born in Poteet, Texas and grew
up in Pearsall, Texas. His father, John Strait, was a junior high school
mathematics teacher. The Straits would often leave Pearsall on the
weekends and the summers to work at the family's 2,000 acre (8 km˛)
cattle ranch outside Big Wells, Texas. When he was in fourth grade,
Strait's parents divorced. His mother left the family taking his sister
with her while he and his brother remained with his father. He began
playing with a rock band in high school, but his preference turned to
country music. Strait counts country singers Merle Haggard, George
Jones, Bob Wills and Hank Williams as his early musical influences.
After graduating from high school, Strait
enrolled in university but dropped out and eloped to Mexico with his
high school sweetheart, Norma. They repeated their vows in a church in
Texas a few weeks later. In 1971, he enlisted in the US Army. During
this stint in military service, he began performing with an
Army-sponsored band, Rambling Country (who played off the base under the
name Santee), when he was stationed in Hawaii. In 1972, while still in
Hawaii, George and Norma had their first child, Jenifer. After leaving
the army in 1975, Strait returned to his studies, enrolling at Southwest
Texas State University (SWT) in San Marcos, Texas. He graduated in 1979
with a degree in agriculture.
While attending SWT, he joined the Ace in
the Hole Band. The band played honky tonks and bars around south and
central Texas and as far east as Huntsville and Houston. They gained a
regional following and opened for national acts such as The Texas
Playboys. In the late 1970s, the band recorded several singles in a
Houston studio that were released under the Dallas, Texas based "D"
record label, but the band ultimately failed (though they do still play
as George Strait's touring band under the same name). While playing with
the band at night, Strait managed a cattle ranch during the day.
An operator of one of the bars the band had
played had connections at MCA Records. In 1981, Strait went to
Nashville, Tennessee to team with MCA and try a solo act. Strait has
stayed with MCA throughout his career. It was also in 1981 that his and
Norma's second child, George Jr., was born.
"Unwound" was his first single and his
first Top Ten hit. This was followed by "Down and Out" and then a whole
series of #1 singles, beginning with "Fool Hearted Memory" in 1982 (see
1982 in country music). He was one of the best-selling country singers
of the 1980s, and one of the few from that decade who survived the
influx of pop-country singers such as Garth Brooks in the early 1990s.
As of September 2006, Strait has had 41 #1 country singles on the
Billboard Chart which broke the record set by Conway Twitty of 40 #1
country singles. Including Radio and Records and the now-defunct Gavin
charts, Strait has a total of 53 #1 songs. He also holds the career
record for CMA nominations with seventy-three. Strait was the top
touring country act of the 1990's and remains one of the most played
artists on US radio. Strait's 1995 Box set "Strait Out Of The Box" is
the 2nd best selling box set ever with shipments of 8 million in the
United States. From 1997 through 2001 Strait headlined the George Strait
Country Music Festival which included artists such has Tim McGraw, Faith
Hill, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and many more.
On October 3rd George released his newest
album titled "It Just Comes Natural". It contains 15 newly recorded
songs using Strait's longtime friend and songwriter, Dean Dillon. The
first single off the album, "Give It Away" reached #1 and the title
track, "It Just Comes Natural" has been released as the second single
off the album and is at #19 on the Billboard Country Charts.
Strait was elected into the Country Music
Hall of Fame in 2006.
Filmography
Strait has acted in two feature films. He
had a bit part in The Soldier (1982) and Mystery, Alaska and starred in
Pure Country (1992). He also appeared as himself in The Horse Whisperer
(1998) and Grand Champion (2002).
Pure Country featured George Stait in the
lead role as "Dusty". Dusty is a famous country singer who believes his
musical sound and concert shows strayed far away from their original
country roots. Dusty takes a leave from the road and finds his roots in
a small Texas town, while falling in love with a rodeo girl. Dusty
eventually goes back to his band and music career, but the return is
marked with his original sound and style – Pure Country. Pure Country is
a rare film that allows Strait's audience to view him in other roles
besides performing at live concerts. Strait as a private person stays
far away from the Hollywood and Nashville scenes. Pure Country film was
a rare appearance by Strait that will most likely never be done again.
Year Movie Role Notes
1982 The Soldier Codename: The Soldier Film
Debut
1992 Pure Country Dusty Wyatt Chandler
1998 The Horse Whisperer
2002 Grand Champion Last Film
Rodeo/Hobbies
Since 1983, Strait has often appeared at
the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and recorded his album For the Last
Time: Live From the Astrodome the last time the rodeo was staged at the
Astrodome in 2002. The event set the record for paid attendance at the
Astrodome with 68,266 people. The rodeo event moved to Reliant Stadium
in 2003. In 2004, Strait topped the Astrodome attendance with 68,679
people coming to his rodeo concert at the larger stadium. Strait has
played to more than 1 million fans at the Houston Rodeo. Strait again
played the Houston rodeo February 28, 2006. That night he watched his
son Bubba rope in the rodeo before taking the stage.
As pastimes, Strait enjoys fishing, playing
golf, and riding motorcycles. He and George Jr. and older brother,
Buddy, are avid team ropers and Strait hosts the annual George Strait
Team Roping Classic alongside Buddy Strait. He and Norma live in far
northwest San Antonio in the wealthy gated community The Dominion as
well on a ranch near Cotulla, Texas some 50 miles southeast of San
Antonio. Sadly, his daughter Jenifer was killed in an automobile
accident in 1986, at the age of thirteen.
George Strait is an artist who has
perfected the lifestyle of a musician and family man. When George is not
on the road performing he stays close to home spending time with family
and friends often not concentrating on his music career. However, he
always is listening for another great hit while residing on his
southwestern Texas ranch near San Antonio.
Discography
Year Album Record Label Notes
2006 It Just Comes Natural MCA Nashville
Records Strait's 34th album
2005 Somewhere Down in Texas MCA Nashville
Records Certified Platinum
2004 50 Number Ones MCA Nashville Records 5
times Platinum
2003 For the Last Time: Live From the
Astrodome MCA Nashville Records
2003 Honkytonkville MCA Nashville Records
Certified Platinum
2002 20th Century Masters: The Best of
George Strait - The Millennium Collection MCA Nashville Records
Certified Platinum
2001 The Road Less Traveled MCA Nashville
Records
2000 George Strait MCA Nashville Records
2000 Latest Greatest Straitest Hits MCA
Nashville Records
1999 Merry Christmas Wherever You Are MCA
Nashville Records
1999 Always Never the Same MCA Nashville
Records
1998 One Step at a Time MCA Nashville
Records
1998 Pure Strait MCA Nashville Records
Limited Edition
1997 Carrying Your Love With Me MCA
Nashville Records
1996 Blue Clear Sky MCA Nashville Records
1995 Strait Out of the Box MCA Nashville
Records Box set
1994 Lead On MCA Nashville Records
1993 Easy Come, Easy Go MCA Nashville
Records
1992 Pure Country MCA Nashville Records
1992 Holding My Own MCA Nashville Records
1991 Ten Strait Hits MCA Nashville Records
1991 Chill Of An Early Fall MCA Nashville
Records
1990 Livin' It Up MCA Nashville Records
1989 Beyond the Blue Neon MCA Nashville
Records
1988 If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin'
MCA Nashville Records
1987 Greatest Hits Volume Two MCA Nashville
Records
1987 Ocean Front Property MCA Nashville
Records
1986 Merry Christmas Strait To You MCA
Nashville Records
1986 #7 MCA Nashville Records
1985 Something Special MCA Nashville
Records
1985 Greatest Hits MCA Nashville Records
1984 Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
MCA Nashville Records
1983 Right Or Wrong MCA Nashville Records
1982 Strait From The Heart MCA Nashville
Records
1981 Strait Country MCA Nashville Records
Strait's first album
Singles
1981 "Unwound" - #6 Strait Country
1981 "Down and Out" - #16 Strait Country
1982 "If You're Thinking You Want a
Stranger (There's One Coming Home)" - #3 Strait Country
1982 "Fool Hearted Memory" - #1 Strait from
the Heart
1983 "Marina Del Rey" - #6 Strait from the
Heart
1983 "Amarillo By Morning" - #4 Strait from
the Heart
1983 "A Fire I Can't Put Out" - #1 Strait
from the Heart
1983 "You Look So Good in Love" - #1 Right
or Wrong
1984 "Right or Wrong" - #1 Right or Wrong
1984 "Let's Fall to Pieces Together" - #1
Right or Wrong
1984 "Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind"
- #1 Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
1985 "The Cowboy Rides Away" - #5 Does Fort
Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
1985 "The Fireman" - #5 Does Fort Worth
Ever Cross Your Mind
1985 "The Chair" - #1 Something Special
1986 "You're Something Special to Me" - #4
Something Special
1986 "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've
Left Her" - #1 7
1986 "It Ain't Cool to Be Crazy About You"
- #1 7
1987 "Ocean Front Property" - #1 Ocean
Front Property
1987 "All My Ex's Live in Texas" - #1 Ocean
Front Property
1987 "Am I Blue" - #1 Ocean Front Property
1988 "Famous Last Words of a Fool" - #1 If
You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin'
1988 "Baby Blue" - #1 If You Ain't Lovin',
You Ain't Livin'
1988 "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't
Livin')" - #1 If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin'
1989 "Baby's Gotten Good at Goodbye" - #1
Beyond the Blue Neon
1989 "Overnight Success" - #8 Beyond the
Blue Neon
1989 "Hollywood Squares" - #67 Beyond the
Blue Neon
1989 "What's Going on in Your World" - #1
Beyond the Blue Neon
1989 "Ace in the Hole" - #1 Beyond the Blue
Neon
1990 "Drinking Champagne" - #4 Livin' It Up
1990 "Love Without End, Amen" - #1 Livin'
It Up
1990 "I've Come to Expect It from You" - #1
Livin' It Up
1990 "If I Know Me" - #1 Chill of an Early
Fall
1990 "You Know Me Better Than That" - #1
Chill of an Early Fall
1991 "The Chill of an Early Fall" - #3
Chill of an Early Fall
1992 "Lovesick Blues" - #24 Chill of an
Early Fall
1992 "So Much Like My Dad" - #3 Holding My
Own
1992 "Gone as a Girl Can Get" - #5 Holding
My Own
1992 "Overnight Male" - #70 Pure Country
1992 "I Cross My Heart" - #1 Pure Country
1993 "Heartland" - #1 Pure Country
1993 "When Did You Stop Loving Me" - #6
Pure Country
1993 "Easy Come, Easy Go" #71 #1 Easy Come,
Easy Go
1993 "I'd Like to Have That One Back" - #3
Easy Come, Easy Go
1994 "Lovebug" - #8 Easy Come, Easy Go
1994 "The Man in Love with You" - #4 Easy
Come, Easy Go
1994 "The Big One" - #1 Lead On
1995 "You Can't Make a Heart Love Somebody"
- #1 Lead On
1995 "Adalida" - #3 Lead On
1995 "Lead On" - #7 Lead On
1995 "Check Yes or No" - #1 Strait Out of
the Box
1995 "I Know She Still Loves Me" - #5
Strait Out of the Box
1996 "Blue Clear Sky" - #1 Blue Clear Sky
1996 "Carried Away" - #1 Blue Clear Sky
1996 "I Can Still Make Cheyenne" - #1 Blue
Clear Sky
1996 "King of the Mountain" - #19 Blue
Clear Sky
1997 "Carrying Your Love with Me" - #1
Carrying Your Love with Me
1997 "One Night at a Time" #59 #1 Carrying
Your Love with Me
1997 "Today My World Slipped Away" - #3
Carrying Your Love with Me
1998 "Round About Way" - #1 Carrying Your
Love with Me
1998 "I Just Want to Dance with You" #61 #1
One Step at a Time
1998 "True" - #2 One Step at a Time
1998 "We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This"
#44 #4 One Step at a Time
1999 "Meanwhile" #38 #4 Always Never the
Same
1999 "Write This Down" #27 #1 Always Never
the Same
1999 "What Do You Say to That" #45 #4
Always Never the Same
2000 "The Best Day" #31 #1 Latest Greatest
Straitest Hits
2000 "Go On" #40 #2 George Strait
2000 "Don't Make Me Come Over There and
Love You" - #17 George Strait
2001 "If You Can Do Anything Else" #51 #5
George Strait
2001 "Run" #34 #2 The Road Less Traveled
2002 "Living and Living Well" #27 #1 The
Road Less Traveled
2002 "She'll Leave You with a Smile" #23 #1
The Road Less Traveled
2003 "Stars On The Water" #50 The Road Less
Traveled
2003 "Tell Me Something Bad about Tulsa"
#69 #11 Honkytonkville
2004 "Desperately" #44 #6 Honkytonkville
2004 "Cowboys Like Us" #38 #2
Honkytonkville
2004 "Honk If You Honky Tonk" - #45
Honkytonkville
2004 "I Hate Everything" #35 #1 50 Number
Ones
2005 "You'll Be There" #54 #4 Somewhere
Down in Texas
2005 "Texas" #35 Somewhere Down in Texas
2005 "She Let Herself Go" #54 #1 Somewhere
Down in Texas
2006 "The Seashores of Old Mexico" #86 #11
Somewhere Down in Texas
2006 "Give It Away" #1 It Just Comes
Natural
2006 "It Just Comes Natural" #19 (currently
active on charts) It Just Comes Natural
Awards
Year Awards Award
2006 Country Music Hall of Fame Inducted
into the Country Music Hall of Fame
2006 Honorary Doctoral Degree Doctor of
Humane Letters presented by Texas State University – San Marcos
2003 Academy of Country Music Career
Achievement
2001 Country Music Awards Song of the Year
2000 Country Music Awards Vocal Event of
the Year
2000 Country Weekly Presents the TNN Music
Awards Album of the Year
2000 Country Weekly Presents the TNN Music
Awards Entertainer of the Year
2000 Country Weekly Presents the TNN Music
Awards Male Artist of the Year
2000 Country Weekly Presents the TNN Music
Awards Single of the Year
2000 Country Weekly Presents the TNN Music
Awards The Impact Award
1999 TNN/Music City News Album of the Year
1998 American Music Awards Favorite Album
1998 American Music Awards Favorite Male
Artist
1998 Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of
the Year
1997 Academy of Country Music Album of the
Year
1997 Academy of Country Music Top Male
Vocalist
1997 American Music Awards Favorite Album
1997 Country Music Awards Album of the Year
1997 Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of
the Year
1997 TNN/Music City News Album of the Year
1996 Academy of Country Music Album of the
Year
1996 Academy of Country Music Top Male
Vocalist
1996 Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of
the Year
1996 Country Music Awards Single of the
Year
1996 Music City News Country Single of the
Year
1996 TNN/Music City News Album of the Year
1996 TNN/Music City News Single of the Year
1996 TNN/Music City News Video of the Year
1991 American Music Awards Favorite Male
Artist
1990 Country Music Awards Entertainer of
the Year
1989 Academy of Country Music Entertainer
of the Year
1989 Country Music Awards Entertainer of
the Year
1988 Academy of Country Music Top Male
Vocalist
1986 Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of
the Year
1986 Music City News Country Male Artist of
the Year
1985 Academy of Country Music Album of the
Year
1985 Academy of Country Music Top Male
Vocalist
1985 Country Music Awards Album of the Year
1985 Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of
the Year
1984 Academy of Country Music Top Male
Vocalist
Resources
"Discography". George Strait's Official Web
Site. Retrieved August 27, 2004.
"Awards". George Strait's Official Web
Site. Retrieved August 27, 2004.
****
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