George Strait: King of Country – Forever!
Imagine having 51 hit songs, all landing in # 1 position. No wonder George Strait has earned the title “King of Country” and it looks as if he’s going to be holding that title for a very, very long time. At his age – over fifty – his fans still flock in droves to watch him perform. They love his smooth and traditional golden western voice. While in high school, he joined a rock band but he knew that he leaned more towards country music and has said that his inspiration came from such greats as George Jones, Hank Williams and Merle Haggard.
University was short-lived; instead he eloped with his high school girlfriend, Norma to Mexico and got married. He spent a few years in military service and played with an Army band called Rambling Country while he was based in Hawaii. There Norma and George had their first child, Jenifer. After the military stint, Strait decided to enroll in Southwest Texas State University and graduated in 1979 with a degree in Agriculture. While completing his university degree, he teamed up with Ace in the Hole. The owner of the one of the bars they played in knew someone in MCA Records and referred Strait to the Nashville branch. He has recorded songs for MCA ever since.
Strait’s acting abilities shone in two films: The Soldier (1982) and Pure Country (1992). He also appeared in the Horse Whisperer and Grand Champion.
Strait seems to have an affinity with rodeos, being born and raised in Texas. Beginning 1983, he was spotted frequently at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and recorded an album, “For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome” in the Astrodome in 2002. Given that it was the final show, 68,266 fans gathered for the rodeo concert. Strait is said to have performed in front of over 1 million fans at the Houston Rodeo alone. In February 2006, he performed with his son Bubba roping the rodeo.
When he’s not working on his songs, Strait enjoys a round of golf, fishing escapades, and riding motorcycles. His family lives in San Antonio in a gated community called The Dominion. They also spend time in their Cotulla, Texas ranch, about 50 miles southeast of San Antonio. Strait makes sure that his free time is devoted to his family and stays close to home. The King of Country is far from retirement. In fact, talk is he’s on the lookout for the next smash hit!