George Strait facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Strait
Strait in 2014
Background information
Birth name	George Harvey Strait Sr.
Born	(1952-05-18) May 18, 1952 (age 73) Poteet, Texas, U.S.
Origin	Pearsall, Texas
Genres	Neotraditional country Texas country Western swing honky-tonk
Occupations	Singer songwriter actor record producer rancher
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1976–present
Labels	D Records MCA (MCA Nashville)
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1971–1975
Rank	Corporal
Unit	25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks
Signature

George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, music producer, and rancher. He is often called the "King of Country Music."

George Strait has sold over 120 million records worldwide. This makes him one of the best-selling music artists ever. He holds a record for the most certified albums by any artist. He has 33 albums that are platinum or gold. In total, he has 20 multi-platinum, 33 platinum, and 24 gold certifications. He is the 12th best-selling album artist in the U.S.

Strait helped create the "neotraditional country" style in the 1980s. He was known for his real cowboy look and traditional sound. This was at a time when country music was becoming more like pop music. He has the most number-one songs on all music charts. He has been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards. He won his first Grammy in 2009 for Best Country Album with Troubadour.

His country music career began in the 1970s. He performed with his band, Ace in the Hole, in Texas clubs. He also recorded songs for a small record label called D Records. While working on ranches during the day, he played music at night and on weekends. In the late 1970s, a music executive named Erv Woosley noticed Strait. Woosley became his manager and helped him sign with MCA Records.

Strait's success started when his first major song, "Unwound", became a hit in 1981. He got his first number-one country radio hit with "Fool Hearted Memory" in 1982. This introduced his neotraditional country style to many people. In the 1980s, seven of his albums reached number one. He was named Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music in the 2000s. He was also added to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Strait won CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1989, 1990, and 2013. He won ACM Entertainer of the Year in 1990 and 2014. He has more awards and nominations from both CMA and ACM than any other artist.

Strait is also famous for his concerts. He designed a special stage setup that allowed fans to see him from all sides. His last concert for The Cowboy Rides Away Tour in 2014 set a record. It had 104,793 people at AT&T Stadium. This was the largest indoor concert in North America at the time. In 2024, Strait set another record. Over 110,905 people attended his concert at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. This was the largest ticketed concert for a single artist in U.S. history. He was also chosen for the Hollywood Walk of Fame class of 2025.

Early Life and Family

George Harvey Strait Sr. was born on May 18, 1952, in Poteet, Texas. His parents were John Byron Strait Sr. and Doris Jean Couser. He is a distant cousin of Jackie Bezos, who is the mother of businessman Jeff Bezos.

He grew up in Pearsall, Texas. His father was a math teacher and owned a large cattle ranch. George and his family worked on the ranch on weekends and in the summer. When George was in fourth grade, his parents divorced. His mother moved away with his sister, Pency. George and his brother, John "Buddy" Jr., grew up with their father. George spent much of his early life working on the ranch.

Strait started his music journey in high school. He played in a rock and roll band called the Stoics. They were inspired by the Beatles. He played in other rock bands in high school. Later, he became interested in country music. Singers like Hank Thompson and Merle Haggard influenced his style. He did not listen to country radio much as a kid. He mostly heard country music at live shows in Texas towns.

Marriage and Military Service

George Strait married his high school girlfriend, Norma Voss, on December 4, 1971, in Mexico. In the same year, he joined the United States Army as an infantryman. While stationed in Hawaii, he performed with an Army country music band called Rambling Country. They also played off-base as Santee.

On October 6, 1972, George and Norma had their first child, Jenifer, while still in Hawaii. Strait served in the Army from 1971 to 1975. He reached the rank of corporal.

College Education

After leaving the Army in 1975, George Strait went to Southwest Texas State University. This school is now called Texas State University. He studied agriculture and earned a degree. In 2006, he received an honorary doctoral degree from his university. Strait is a loyal supporter of the college. In 1985, he started a fund to help the Freeman Ranch. This ranch is used for farming, land management, and wildlife. The fund also provides scholarships.

Music Career Beginnings

George Strait had his first performance at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, Texas on October 13, 1975.

During his college years, Strait joined a country band called Stoney Ridge. He answered a flyer the band posted looking for a singer. Strait renamed the group the Ace in the Hole Band. He quickly became the lead singer. They started playing in clubs and bars across south and central Texas. They became popular in the region. They even opened for famous bands like The Texas Playboys.

His band got a chance to record some songs Strait had written. These included "That Don't Change The Way I Feel About You." They recorded for a small label in Houston called D Records. But these songs did not become widely known. Strait continued to manage his family's cattle ranch to earn money.

Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel, pictured here in 1976, featured George Strait as an opening act during his early years performing in the 1970s. Asleep at the Wheel has in return, been an opening act for Strait in later years.

Strait kept playing with his band. He became friends with Erv Woolsey, who ran one of the bars where the band played. Woolsey had worked for MCA Records before. He convinced some of his music industry friends to come to Texas. They listened to Strait and his band. They were impressed but worried they couldn't sell the band's Western swing sound. So, they left without offering a deal.

Strait made several trips to Nashville, Tennessee, trying to get a record deal. Every label turned him down. He thought about quitting music completely. He was offered a job designing cattle pens and decided to take it. He told his band he was leaving. But after talking with his wife, she convinced him to try for one more year. Soon after, MCA Records signed Strait to a recording contract in February 1981. The first deal was for just one song. If it did well, they would consider an album. The Ace in the Hole band stayed with Strait. They became his backup and touring band for his solo career.

Success in the 1980s

In the spring of 1981, Strait released his first song for MCA Records, "Unwound". It reached number six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. This song was on his first album, Strait Country. The album also had "Down and Out" and "If You're Thinking You Want a Stranger (There's One Coming Home)".

"Amarillo by Morning," which tells the story of a Texas rodeo cowboy, was originally recorded and written by Terry Stafford in 1973. In 1982, Strait recorded the song with a more Western-based instrumentation. The song has become a signature song associated with Strait; it has been referred as one of the greatest country songs of all time.

Critics praised Strait Country as a "new-traditionalist" album. It went against the pop-influenced country music popular at the time. His second album, Strait from the Heart, came out in 1982. It had his first number-one song, "Fool Hearted Memory". It also featured the popular Western song "Amarillo by Morning". This song was first sung by Terry Stafford in 1973. It became one of Strait's most famous songs.

In 1983, Strait performed at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for the first time. The main star, Eddie Rabbitt, was sick. Performing at this rodeo became a regular event for Strait. He has played there more than 20 times for over a million fans.

Strait had 17 number-one hits in the 1980s. This included five in a row from 1983 to 1984. These came from his albums Right or Wrong and Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind. Right or Wrong was his first number-one album. In 1985, he won the CMA award for top male vocalist. He also released his first greatest hits album. This album had songs from his first three records. In 1985, Strait released Something Special. This was his third number-one album in a row. It included the number-one song "The Chair". In 1986, Strait won CMA vocalist of the year again. He also released his fourth number-one album, #7.

In 1986, Strait and his family faced a tragedy. His 13-year-old daughter, Jenifer, died in a one-car accident. She was riding in a car that crashed. None of the people in the car were wearing seat belts. Jenifer was partially thrown from the car and died instantly. This event caused George to avoid talking to the media for many years. He and his family did not want to discuss Jenifer's death.

Despite his sadness, George Strait continued to perform and release music. He had 11 number-one hits in a row. This streak started with "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her" in 1986. It ended with "Ace in the Hole" in 1989. These songs were on four albums: #7, Ocean Front Property (1987), If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin' (1988), and Beyond the Blue Neon (1989). All these albums reached number one on the country charts. Ocean Front Property was the first country album ever to debut at number one. The hits included "Ocean Front Property", "All My Ex's Live in Texas", and "Baby Blue". Strait ended the decade by winning the CMA Entertainer of the Year award in 1989 and again in 1990.

The 1990s and Beyond

Strait performing live at the 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, Maryland on April 7, 2008

Strait started the 1990s with his 10th album, Livin' It Up. It had two number-one hits: "Love Without End, Amen" and "I've Come to Expect It From You". Both songs stayed at number one for five weeks in 1990. Chill of an Early Fall followed in 1991. It received good reviews. This album had the number-one songs "If I Know Me" and "You Know Me Better Than That". However, a cover song on the album, "Lovesick Blues", only reached number 24. This ended his streak of 31 straight top-10 hits. In 1992, Holding My Own was released. It did not have any number-one songs but included two top-five hits.

Later in 1992, Strait starred in the movie Pure Country. He also released the movie's soundtrack. This became his most successful album. It had hits like "Heartland" and "I Cross My Heart". The album reached number one on the Country charts. His next album, Easy Come, Easy Go (1993), also did very well. It featured the number-one title track.

His next four albums, Lead On (1994), Blue Clear Sky (1996), Carrying Your Love with Me (1997), and One Step at a Time (1998), all reached number one. Blue Clear Sky debuted at number one. Carrying Your Love with Me was his first album to reach number one on the overall Billboard 200 chart. These albums produced eight number-one songs for Strait.

In 1995, Strait released a four-disc collection called Strait Out of the Box. It included two new songs, "I Know She Still Loves Me" and the number-one hit "Check Yes or No". This collection became the second-best selling box set ever. He was named CMA's Top Male Vocalist in 1997 and 1998. From 1997 to 2001, Strait led the George Strait Country Music Festival. This festival featured other big artists like Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney. The festival played a small number of dates each year. Still, it was one of the highest-earning tours in 1998.

Strait finished the 1990s with the album Always Never the Same (1999). It reached number two on country charts. It also did well on the Billboard 200 chart. The album had the number-one song "Write This Down". Strait had 17 number-one hits on the Billboard country charts in the 1990s.

The 2000s and 2010s

Strait on the Cowboy Rides Away Tour, XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut, February 23, 2013

Strait released a self-titled album in 2000. It reached number one on country charts. However, it did not produce any number-one songs. This was his first album not to be certified platinum. In 2001, The Road Less Traveled was released. It received mostly good reviews. Two songs from this album reached number one: "She'll Leave You with a Smile" and "Living and Living Well". "She'll Leave You with a Smile" was his 50th number-one song.

In 2003, Strait released two records. For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome was a recording of his last concert at the Astrodome. This concert set a record for attendance at the venue. His next album, Honkytonkville, was praised for its traditional country sound. In 2004, his performance at Reliant Stadium set a new rodeo attendance record. That year, he released 50 Number Ones. This album featured all his number-one hits. A new song, "I Hate Everything", was also included. It became his 51st number one song in 2004.

In 2005, Somewhere Down in Texas was released. It had the hit "You'll Be There". This song was Strait's first to appear on the adult contemporary chart. In 2006, Strait celebrated 30 years in music. He released a new album called It Just Comes Natural. The first song from the album, "Give It Away", reached number one. The title track, "It Just Comes Natural", became his 42nd Billboard number one.

In 2007, "Wrapped" became his 55th number-one song. From January to April 2007, Strait toured with Ronnie Milsap and Taylor Swift. He released Troubadour in 2008. The first song, "I Saw God Today", debuted very high on the charts. Troubadour debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 album charts. "River of Love", the third song from the album, became his 57th number-one song in 2009.

Strait on the Cowboy Rides Away Tour at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, March 1, 2014

In April 2009, the Academy of Country Music honored Strait with the Artist of the Decade Award. This award was given to him by Garth Brooks. In June 2009, he performed at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Strait's song "Living for the Night" was released in May 2009. It was written by Strait, his son Bubba, and Dean Dillon. This song was on his album Twang, released in August 2009. Twang sold over 500,000 copies. By 2009, he broke Conway Twitty's record for most number-one hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. Strait had 44 number-one singles, more than Twitty's 40.

In 2010, Billboard ranked Strait as the number one country artist of the past 25 years. On September 6, 2011, Strait released Here for a Good Time. It had two number-one songs: "Here for a Good Time" and "Love's Gonna Make It Alright". This brought his total number-one singles to 59.

In October 2012, Strait released "Give It All We Got Tonight". This song was on his album Love Is Everything, released in May 2013. There was a campaign to make this his 60th number-one song while he was still 60 years old. The song reached the top of the Mediabase charts in May 2013. Strait won the 2013 CMA Entertainer of the Year award.

In November 2013, Billboard gave Strait its Legend of Live honor. This award recognizes the top concert artist. Strait was the first country artist to receive this award. In April 2015, Strait performed at the ACM Awards. He sang "All My Ex's Lives in Texas" and his new song "Let it Go".

In 2016, Strait was one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country". This song was a mix of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again", and "I Will Always Love You". It celebrated 50 years of the CMA Awards. In 2018, Strait released a song called "Codigo". It was named after a brand of tequila he had invested in.

The Cowboy Rides Away Tour

Strait on the Cowboy Rides Away Tour, XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut, February 23, 2013

On September 26, 2012, Strait announced he was stopping touring. His Cowboy Rides Away Tour would be his last. Tickets for the tour sold out very quickly. The tour began on January 18, 2013, in Lubbock, Texas. It had two parts: 21 concerts in 2013 and 26 concerts in 2014. The tour ended in Arlington, Texas, on June 7, 2014. Strait was joined by his longtime band, the Ace in the Hole Band. For the 2013 part, Martina McBride was the opening act.

The second part of the tour started on January 9, 2014. It featured many famous opening acts. These included Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, and Tim McGraw. Many of these artists came together for the final concert in Arlington, Texas. Over 104,793 fans attended. At the time, this was the largest single-headliner concert in the U.S. It was also the largest ticketed concert ever in a U.S. stadium. Strait broke his own records ten years later at Kyle Field. The concert also set a record for the highest earnings at a single country concert.

A live album from the final concert was released in September 2014. It was called The Cowboy Rides Away: Live from AT&T Stadium. DVDs and CDs of the concert were also released. In August 2014, Country Music Television (CMT) broadcast a two-hour special about the event.

Recent Achievements

Strait broke the record for most fans at a U.S. concert by a single artist on June 15, 2024. He performed at Kyle Field at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. There were 110,905 fans in attendance. The previous record was held by The Grateful Dead in 1977. This show also set a new record for Kyle Field. The previous record was for a Texas A&M football game in 2014.

Musical Style

George Strait's music is mostly called neotraditional country. This style uses traditional country instruments like the fiddle and pedal steel guitar. His music is also known as Texas country, Western swing, and honky-tonk.

Legacy and Influence

George Strait has influenced many country artists. Some of these include Clint Black, Alan Jackson, and Kacey Musgraves.

Personal Life

Strait at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in 2005

Strait married his high school sweetheart, Norma, in December 1971. Their first child, Jenifer, was born in October 1972. Their son, George Harvey Strait Jr., known as "Bubba", was born in 1981.

Jenifer died in a car accident in San Marcos in June 1986, at age 13. The family created the Jenifer Lyn Strait Foundation. This foundation gives money to children's charities in the San Antonio area. George Strait Jr. graduated from Texas A&M. He competed in Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association team-roping events. Strait watched his son compete at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2006.

In April 2009, George's older brother, John Byron "Buddy" Strait, passed away at age 58.

Since 2010, Strait has been a spokesperson for the Wrangler National Patriot program. This program helps raise money for wounded military veterans and their families. Strait also appeared in commercials for Tractor Supply Company.

In February 2012, Strait became a grandfather. His son, George Strait Jr., and his wife Tamara had a son, George Harvey Strait III.

From 1983 to 2017, Strait hosted an annual team-roping event. It was called The George Strait Team Roping Classic. It was held in Kingsville, Texas, and later in San Antonio.

Vaqueros del Mar 5, George Strait auctions off his boots for the troops: George Strait (in orange cap), Tom Cusick, David Feherty

Strait owns a private jet. He teamed up with Texas Governor Greg Abbott to help with disaster relief after Hurricane Harvey.

Strait and his friend Tom Cusick created the Vaqueros Del Mar Invitational Golf Tournament and Concert. This event is held every year at Strait and Cusick's resort in Texas. It raises money for David Feherty's Troops First Foundation. This foundation helps wounded service members and their families. Since 2012, the events have raised over $5 million. In January 2018, George Strait was named the 2018 Texan of the Year. He was honored for his fundraising efforts after Hurricane Harvey.

Discography

George Strait has recorded music for over 30 years with MCA Records. He has had 60 number-one songs on all country charts. This is more number-one hits than any other artist in a single music style. His 44 Billboard country number-one hits are a record. He is also the first artist in Billboard history to have at least one song in the top 10 for 30 years in a row. Strait has sold over 70 million records in the United States.

Filmography

Strait has acted in several movies. He had a small role in The Soldier (1982). He starred in Pure Country (1992). He also appeared as himself in Grand Champion (2002).

The movie Pure Country featured George Strait as Dusty Chandler. Dusty was a famous country singer who felt he was losing his traditional sound. The movie did not earn much money at the box office. However, its soundtrack, also called Pure Country, had several hit songs for Strait. It is his best-selling album to date. Strait had a small role in the movie's sequel, Pure Country 2: The Gift.

Honors and Awards

George Strait Country Music Hall of Fame plaque

George Strait holds many records in country music. He has the most number-one albums and songs. He also has the most gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums. He is third only to Elvis Presley and The Beatles for the most gold and platinum albums in music history. Strait is the 12th best-selling artist in American history. He has sold 70 million records in the U.S.

Strait has held the world record for most number-one hits across all charts and music styles since 2013. He has 60 number-one hits. He is the only artist in music history to have a top-10 hit every year for 30 years. He is also second all-time in top-10 hits. He is only five away from breaking Eddy Arnold's record of 92.

Strait has won 22 CMA Awards. This includes Entertainer of the Year in 1989, 1990, and 2013. He is the only artist to win this top award in three different decades. He also holds the record for most CMA nominations. Strait holds similar records for wins and nominations at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Strait was added to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. He performed his hit song "Give it Away" before accepting his award. He was only the second artist to be inducted while still actively making hit songs and albums.

In October 2008, the Academy of Country Music Awards named Strait their Artist of the Decade for the 2000s. Garth Brooks presented him with the award. Past winners include Marty Robbins and Loretta Lynn.

On June 1, 2013, Strait performed at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Over 70,000 fans attended. Texas Governor Rick Perry announced that May 18, Strait's birthday, would be George Strait Day in Texas every year. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Strait among the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

See also

In Spanish: George Strait para niños