50 Fun Facts About George Strait

In which Texas town was George Strait born in 1952?

George Strait was born in Poteet, Texas, on 18 May 1952; the small town south of San Antonio bills itself as the state's strawberry capital.

By what nickname is George Strait widely known?

George Strait is known as the King of Country for a neotraditional sound he never abandoned; 'Amarillo by Morning' and 'The Chair' are among his signature hits.

Strait's high school garage band, the Stoics, took most of its inspiration from which group?

The Stoics drew on the Beatles; Strait came to country music later, through live shows rather than radio, which he used mostly for the news and the farm report.

While serving in the US Army, Strait sang with an Army-sponsored country band. Where was he stationed?

The band was called Rambling Country and played off-base as Santee; he left the Army as a corporal in 1975.

Strait eloped with his high school sweetheart Norma in 1971. Where did they marry?

Their daughter Jenifer was born the next year while he was still stationed in Hawaii.

Strait graduated from Southwest Texas State University with a degree in what?

Strait earned a degree in agriculture from Southwest Texas State University in 1979; the school, renamed Texas State University in 2003, gave him an honorary doctorate in 2006.

Strait joined a college group called Stoney Ridge and renamed it what?

Strait renamed Stoney Ridge the Ace in the Hole Band in 1975; the band backed him from his 1981 MCA debut through the Cowboy Rides Away Tour of 2013-14.

Before MCA signed him, Strait had accepted a job doing what and nearly quit music?

Strait had accepted a job designing cattle pens and was ready to quit music; Norma persuaded him to give it one more year, and MCA signed him early in 1981.

How big was Strait's initial MCA Records deal in 1981?

MCA's 1981 deal covered just one song; an album would follow only if the single sold, and it did, reaching the country top ten that summer.

What was Strait's first single for MCA, which reached number six in 1981?

'Unwound', written by Dean Dillon and Frank Dycus, was Strait's first MCA single and climbed to number six on the country chart in the summer of 1981.

Which 1982 song gave Strait his first number one hit?

'Fool Hearted Memory' was Strait's first number one, in 1982; it came from his second album, Strait from the Heart, and featured in the film The Soldier.

Who originally wrote and recorded Strait's signature song 'Amarillo by Morning' in 1973?

Terry Stafford, of 'Suspicion' fame, co-wrote 'Amarillo by Morning' with Paul Fraser and recorded it in 1973; Strait's 1983 version peaked at number four.

Strait's first Houston Rodeo appearance in 1983 came filling in for which flu-stricken headliner?

Strait stepped in for a flu-stricken Eddie Rabbitt at the 1983 Houston rodeo and became one of its most frequent headliners, drawing more than 80,000 to NRG Stadium in 2019.

Which 1987 album was the first country album by any artist to debut at number one?

Ocean Front Property (1987) was the first country album by any artist to debut at number one on Billboard's country albums chart; its title track and 'All My Ex's Live in Texas' both topped the singles chart.

How many consecutive number one singles did Strait release between 1986 and 1989?

Strait strung together eleven straight number ones, from 'Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her' in 1986 to 'Ace in the Hole' in 1989; 'Overnight Success' then stalled at number eight.

Strait's daughter Jenifer died in a car accident in 1986. How old was she?

The family set up the Jenifer Lyn Strait Foundation for children's charities in San Antonio, and he stopped doing interviews for years.

'Love Without End, Amen' in 1990 was Strait's first single to do what?

'Love Without End, Amen' was Strait's first single to top the chart for multiple weeks, holding number one for five weeks in 1990; 'I've Come to Expect It From You' then matched it.

Which 1992 cover stalled at number 24, ending Strait's run of 31 straight top-ten hits?

Strait's cover of Hank Williams's 'Lovesick Blues' stalled at number 24 in 1992; its parent album, Chill of an Early Fall, had already yielded two number ones.

In which 1992 film did Strait make his acting debut as a burnt-out singing star?

Pure Country (1992) was Strait's acting debut; its soundtrack, with 'Heartland' and 'I Cross My Heart', went on to sell more than six million copies.

What is the name of the character Strait plays in his 1992 movie?

Strait plays Dusty Chandler, a jaded star who walks off his own tour after fans fail to notice him skipping bars of a song, which sets the plot in motion.

Which 1995 four-disc career retrospective included the new number one 'Check Yes or No'?

Strait Out of the Box (1995) gathered four discs of hits and rarities and added the new single 'Check Yes or No', which went to number one; the set was certified eight-times platinum.

What was the stadium touring package Strait headlined each spring from 1997 to 2001?

The George Strait Country Music Festival toured stadiums each spring from 1997 to 2001; Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson were among the acts on its bills.

Which 1985 Strait number one did Hank Cochran and Dean Dillon write about a bar pickup?

'The Chair' (1985), written by Hank Cochran and Dean Dillon, plays out a bar pickup that opens 'Well, excuse me, but I think you've got my chair'; it topped the country chart late that year.

What was his 2004 greatest hits package, titled after his tally of chart-toppers, called?

50 Number Ones (2004) was named for his tally of chart-toppers across all charts; its new track 'I Hate Everything' promptly became number 51.

In which year was Strait inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame?

Strait was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006, the same year 'Give It Away' reached number one, 24 years after his first chart-topper.

It Just Comes Natural and its follow-up were recorded in Key West at a studio owned by which musician?

Jimmy Buffett owned Shrimp Boat Sound in Key West, where Strait cut It Just Comes Natural and its follow-up; the studio was reportedly chosen partly because his allergies stayed quiet there.

In 2007 Strait headlined a 23-date arena tour with Ronnie Milsap and which then-newcomer?

Taylor Swift, then 17 and promoting her debut album, opened Strait's 2007 arena tour alongside Ronnie Milsap; the same year 'Wrapped' became his 55th number one across all charts.

Which 2008 album won Strait his first Grammy, for Best Country Album?

Troubadour (2008) won Strait his first Grammy, for Best Country Album; its lead single 'I Saw God Today' debuted at number 19, then the highest debut of his career.

In 2009 the Academy of Country Music named Strait Artist of the Decade. Which previous holder presented it?

That June he also headlined the first event at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

In 2009 Strait broke whose record for the most chart-toppers on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart?

His 44 topped Twitty's 40.

'Living for the Night' in 2009 was co-written by Strait, Dean Dillon and which family member?

George Jr. is a Texas A&M graduate who competed as a professional team roper.

The '60 for 60' campaign aimed to make which 2012 single his 60th chart-topper while he was still 60?

'Give It All We Got Tonight' reached number one on the Mediabase country chart in May 2013, days before Strait turned 61, completing the '60 for 60' push for a 60th chart-topper at age 60.

In which three years was Strait named CMA Entertainer of the Year?

Strait was CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 2013, a 23-year gap between his second and third; he also took the ACM's Entertainer award in 1990 and 2014.

In which city did the Cowboy Rides Away Tour open in January 2013?

The Cowboy Rides Away Tour opened in Lubbock on 18 January 2013 at the United Spirit Arena; the farewell run then stretched across two years, closing in Arlington in June 2014.

How many people attended the final Cowboy Rides Away concert at AT&T Stadium in June 2014?

The final Cowboy Rides Away show drew 104,793 to AT&T Stadium on 7 June 2014, then the largest indoor concert crowd in North America, and grossed more than $18 million.

In June 2024 Strait set the US record for a single-act ticketed concert at which venue?

Strait drew 110,905 to Kyle Field in College Station on 15 June 2024, beating the 107,019 the Grateful Dead drew at Englishtown, New Jersey, in 1977.

Strait's 2018 single 'Codigo' is named after what?

'Codigo' (2018) is named for Código 1530, a tequila brand Strait invested in; the song turns the spirit into a friend that helps him through heartache.

From 1983 to 2017 Strait hosted an annual event in which rodeo discipline?

The George Strait Team Roping Classic started in Kingsville and later moved to the San Antonio Rose Palace.

Strait is a second cousin of the mother of which billionaire?

Strait is a second cousin of Jacklyn Gise Bezos, the mother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Which 1987 Strait number one explains why he hangs his hat in Tennessee?

'All My Ex's Live in Texas', a 1987 number one written by Sanger D. and Lyndia Shafer, lists the ex-wives' hometowns and concludes 'that's why I hang my hat in Tennessee'.

What was the title of Strait's 1981 debut album for MCA?

Strait Country (1981) was hailed as a new-traditionalist breakthrough that bucked the pop-leaning country of the era; besides its debut single it carried the top-20 hit 'Down and Out'.

Who broke Strait's 2024 US single-act attendance record the following year at Michigan Stadium?

Zach Bryan drew 112,408 to Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on 27 September 2025, passing the 110,905 Strait had drawn in Texas in June 2024.

Strait grew up in which Frio County town, where his father taught junior high mathematics?

Strait grew up in Pearsall, the Frio County seat, where his father John taught junior high maths; the family also worked a 2,000-acre cattle ranch outside Big Wells on weekends and summers.

Strait's 2003 live album captured the final Houston rodeo concert held at which venue?

For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome (2003) captured the final Houston rodeo concert at the Astrodome, on 3 March 2002; the paid crowd of 68,266 broke the venue record Selena had set in 1995.

Who was the opening performer for the 2013 leg of the Cowboy Rides Away Tour?

Martina McBride opened the 2013 leg of the Cowboy Rides Away Tour; the 2014 leg instead rotated openers including Eric Church, Merle Haggard and Vince Gill.

Strait served in the US Army from 1971 to 1975. What rank did he reach?

He enlisted as an infantryman with the 25th Infantry Division and was discharged honorably before enrolling at Southwest Texas State.

Which bar owner and former MCA executive became Strait's longtime manager?

Woolsey lured Music Row contacts to Texas to hear the band, but they left without a deal, worried they couldn't market Western swing.

'Give It Away' made which co-writer the first with a number one in five different decades?

'Whispering Bill' Anderson's writing credits stretch from the 1950s; the song led off 2006's It Just Comes Natural.

Which 1983 album was Strait's first to reach number one?

Right or Wrong (1983) was Strait's first number one album; all three of its singles topped the chart, and its follow-up, Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind, won the 1985 CMA Album of the Year.

Strait's 1970s band cut a few of his own songs for which Houston-based independent label?

Strait's band cut originals such as 'I Can't Go On Dying Like This' for Pappy Daily's Houston label D Records in 1976; the singles went nowhere, and Strait kept working the family ranch.