King George Strait

George Strait

   George Strait was born and raised in Texas. He got his start as a musician when he was in high school by playing in a rock and roll band. Since he never really listened to music on the radio he was most influenced by live performances. After high school Strait married his high school sweetheart and joined the army. While stationed in Hawaii, he started to play with the army sponsored band. A few years later he was honorably discharged and went to Southwest Texas University where he earned a degree in agriculture. While working on his degree Strait joined a band that was looking for a new vocalist. He quickly became the lead and renamed the band Ace in the Hole. They played all over Texas. During this time Strait also managed his family's cattle ranch. 

   Strait became friends with bar owner Eru Woolsey. Woolsey had worked with MCA Records and talked people in Nashville into coming to Texas and listen to Ace in the Hole. Strait signed with MCA Records in February 1981. Later that year Strait came out with his first album and his second followed very quickly in 1982. On his second album was the song "Amarillo By Morning" which is considered one of the greatest country songs of all time. 

Amarillo By Morning - 1996 Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo.

     In 1983, he made is first performance at the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo. Throughout his career Strait made more the twenty performances at the rodeo. In the 1980s Strait came out with seventeen number one hits in a row. In 1985, he won his first award for Top Male Vocalist of the Year. 

   In 1986, Strait's daughter was killed in a car accident at the age of twelve. Tragic as that is, it did not keep the man from continuing his career. The following year he released his Ocean Front Property album. It was the first ever country music album to debut at number one by any artist. In 1989 and 1990, Strait received the reward for CMA Entertainer of the Year. He continued to release multiple umber on hits through the 1990s and 2000s. Strait's music career has continued to grow and today he is known as the King of Country Music.