A lot of folks like country music. It's an essentially American genre, spanning many decades, with a million roots forming the great range that is country music today.
But if you’re talking country music, you only need two words:
George Strait.
George’s career is legendary. So is his deep, rich voice, with that Texas twang that makes him so ideally suited for country music. Born in 1952, George may be in his 70’s but he has in no way lost his touch. He has acted, too, most notably in the 1992 film “Pure Country,” and in other, smaller roles - including playing himself.
He served in the Army as an infantryman, with the 25th Infantry Division stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where his music career kicked off with an Army-sponsored band, Rambling Country. Today, George is active with the Troops First Foundation, raising funds for wounded service members and their families.
He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Norma, for 53 years. You just don’t find many more quintessentially American stories.
Also, George is, one might say, pure. There’s no cross-over appeal, no fooling around with genres; George is, like the movie he starred in, pure country.
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It is, of course, impossible to narrow down great George Strait songs to a manageable figure. So, I looked at my Spotify George Strait playlist and selected six that are among my favorites today. Ask me next week and I might name six different songs; George Strait is just that good. But as for today, and in no particular order:
Write This Down. (1999.) One of George’s signature pieces and a concert mainstay, this song comes from the 1999 album “Always Never the Same.” It’s a fun, cheerful song; the video for this cut was filmed live at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. It’s a delightful, fun love song and shows off George’s voice and his impressive concert presence to his best advantage.
Check Yes or No. (1995.) From the album “Strait Out of the Box,” this is a happy tale of two little kids passing notes, and in so doing developing a love that lasts a lifetime. It’s no surprise that George Strait, a guy who married his high school sweetie and is still with her over half a century later, would do this Danny Wells and Dana Hunt Black-penned tune. One of the better things about George Strait's music is that it often presents something people who aren't familiar with the genre don't expect - a happy ending.
All My Ex’s Live in Texas (1987.) I remember this one as one of my earlier exposures to the King of Country. From the album “Ocean Front Property,” which gave us that also-famous eponymous song, this one is a rather lighthearted look at serial monogamy and the complications that go with it. It’s well-suited to George’s younger, slightly lighter voice.
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Blue Clear Sky (1996.) From the album of the same name, this song is on the short side (2:52) but it is still worth the listen, maybe more than once. And, like so many of George’s songs, it’s a love song, and unlike a lot of musicians – maybe because of his personal life – George tends to sing of loves that last. This is my favorite part of this song:
Here she comes a walkin' talkin' true love
Sayin' I been lookin' for you love
Surprise your new love has arrived
Out of the blue clear sky
Run (2001.) This song, released in September of that fateful year, is a little different. It has an almost haunting quality, a call from a man separated from his love, calling to her to join him by any means possible.
Baby run, cut a path across the blue skies
Straight in a straight line
You can't get here fast enough
Find a truck and fire it up
Lean on the gas and off the clutch
Leave Dallas in the dust
I need you in a rush
So baby run
Troubadour (2008.) This could almost be George’s swan song, except that, of course, he’s still cranking. It’s a song of youth remembered, and age considered, and for all of us guys who have a little (or a lot) of gray and white hair, it’s thought-provoking.
I never get tired of George Strait. As you will all know from reading these works, I have some pretty wide-ranging tastes in music, but George Strait is and always be a particular favorite.
Have any favorite George Strait tunes of your own? His career is long enough, and his discography prolific enough, as to contain something for everyone.
As always, the comments are yours.
