About George Strait...

About George Strait

Trace Adkins:
“Immediately when I think George Strait, I think longevity. And whatever the formula that he’s used to sustain himself and to maintain this level of professional integrity and acceptance that he’s had over the year, I wish he could write it down and send it to me because that’s what I would aspire to -- the kind of career that George has had: great songs, and the fans just love him.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Rhett Akins:
“I was turned onto George Strait in the ‘80s. I admire the way he has always stayed true to himself and his music, never letting the flavor of the moment stray him from the focus.” (Modern Screen’s Country Music, August 1998)

Lynn Anderson:
“When you hear [George Strait], you know who it is.” (Country Weekly, March 31, 1998)

Ed Benson (CMA’s Executive Director):
“George was a principle advocate of traditional country music and was a bellwether as far as affecting a major trend. Just as importantly, he has sustained a career over a long period in a way that I don’t think we’ll be seeing much anymore. There will be fewer artists making an industry impact in the way George Strait has. He has remained true to his standards and true to his music. He’s grown but he hasn’t changed and he has been very good for country music.” (Ten Strait Hits, 1992)

Ray Benson (lead singer of the group “Asleep At The Wheel”):
“George has gone on to become the #1 country music singer of the past decade or two. Not only has he racked up more #1 songs than I can recall, he has helped to revive and revitalize Bob Wills and Western Swing music and re-invent the singing cowboy for the Modern Age.” (Strait Out Of The Box)

Clint Black (responsing to the question “Who are some of your favorite country artists?”):
“I've always been a George Strait fan.” (www.cmt.com - 20 Questions with Clint Black - December 5, 2003)

Garth Brooks:
“I am doing what I am doing because of the good Lord, my family, and George Strait.” (Strait Out Of The Box, 1995)

Tony Brown (President of MCA Nashville and George’s producer since 1992; Tony Brown also produced Vince Gill, Tracy Byrd, Reba McEntire, Wynonna Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Mark Chesnutt and Brooks & Dunn):
“George Strait, hands down, led Nashville back to its real tradition, not only in music but he made the cowboy once again the king of fashion in country music. I can truthfully say he has never compromised himself creatively or otherwise. Every artist in country music strives for the legacy that George Strait will leave. I am truly honored to work with George. He’s a great singer and he knows great songs. He’s pure country.” (Strait Out Of The Box, 1995)

Tracy Byrd:
“I think what [George Strait] did for country music is unmeasurable. I hear a lot of people say that Randy Travis brought traditional music back and he certainly had a big hand in it, but George Strait was bringing it back several years before Randy Travis came out.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Kenny Chesney:
“His name is still very synonymous with country music and I think it always will be.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Mark Chesnutt:
“George Strait has got it right. The guy works only 50 to 60 dates a year and plays only the biggest venues in the best markets. Then he goes home, goes fishing, goes hunting – does just what he wants to do. Eventually, I want to be doing what George is doing.” (Country Weekly, April 1, 1997)

Terri Clark:
“I think George Strait is the epitome of the Texas cowboy image and he really lives that way, that’s his life. And I respect him and admire him for his integrity, his musical integrity as well as personal integrity in keeping his private life private.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Tammy Cochran:
“It is a dream come true to have the privilege of playing these dates with George Strait. He continues to be an inspiration in regards to the type of artist that I hope to be. Not to mention, on this tour I'm singing to the greatest country music fans in the world.” (www.tammycochranfanclub.com, 2003)

Keith Gattis:
“I’ve always had this affection for all the old stuff and the guys that were doing real traditional music, like Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam and George Strait.” (Country Weekly, June 4, 1996)

Vern Gosdin:
“I thought it [George Strait’s version of ‘Today My World Slipped Away’] was great. I watched it go all the way up the charts and it made it to number one. That’d make a glass eye cry.” (Country Weekly, March 17, 1998)

Merle Haggard:
“I like what he has done with his music and his career. I’m proud to know him and he is one of my favorite singers… also!” (Strait Out Of The Box, 1995)

Wade Hayes:
“I remember when my ‘Old Enough To Know Better’ went to #1, it went past a George Strait single [‘You Can’t Make A Heart Love Somebody’]. I was actually embarrassed to beat George Strait. And of course, I couldn’t believe that would ever happen to me.” (Modern Screen’s Country Music, August 1998)

Faith Hill:
“He’s incredible. I had the biggest crush on him for years.” (Country Weekly, November 7, 1995)

James House:
“[George is] one of the premiere, if not the premiere country singer out there today.” (Country Countdown USA, 1995)

George Jones:
“I have known George Strait for many years and it has been my pleasure to see his career go straight – no pun intended – up to the rank of superstar. He is a hard-working and caring person, a great country music singer, good actor, great guy and fellow Texan.” (Strait Out Of The Box, 1995)

David Kersh:
“George Strait is the largest influence on me. To me, he’s a man’s man, the real deal. There’s more that attracts me to him than just his music. I really like his lifestyle – the roping and hunting and things like that. He’s always seemed like a really good guy – and that’s so important as far as being around for a very long time.” (Country Weekly, October 15, 1996)

Sammy Kershaw:
“Everybody wants a career like George Strait’s. There’s nothin’ bad ever said about him, he does his own thing. I think George Strait is the man right now, no doubt in my mind, and I think he will be for a few years down the road.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Blaine Larsen (responsing to the question “How has George Strait influenced your career?”):
“He was the person that really made me fall in love with music, basically. When I first started listening to his music, that's when it really hit me that I wanted to pursue this more. I can pretty much safely say that without him, without his music, I probably wouldn't be doing this. After I really got into his music, it just branched off from there. That's where it all started for me.” (www.cmt.com - 20 Questions with Blaine Larsen, June 21, 2006)

Jim Lauderdale (wrote “King Of Broken Hearts” and “We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This” for George):
“I love the way [George] does my stuff and it’s a real priority for me to keep writing for him.” (Country Weekly, April 14, 1998)

Little Big Town:
“We have been so fortunate over the past couple of years to tour with some amazing artists. But to be invited to share the stage with an entertainer like George Strait -- who never fails to give fans what they want year after year, show after show and hit after hit -- is truly an honor. He has the career we all strive for.” (www.cmt.com, October 2, 2007)

Little Jimmy Dickens:
“George Strait’s been very consistent. He’s kept it the same, kind of the Western Swing thing. He’s developed a style and stayed with it.” (Country Weekly, July 23, 1996)

Patty Loveless:
“George is the gentleman cowboy we all used to dream about.” (People, November 17, 1997)

Bill Mack:
“[George] is a good entertainer and a good ol’ boy. His ego weighs about a half of a quarter of an ounce.” (Country Weekly, April 21, 1998)

Neal McCoy:
“You thought that someone being in country music and hanging around was the thing of the past, because with the way the young people have come in, and the way music has changed, but not to him. He’s gone way beyond that, and he’s still around, and still stronger than ever.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Mindy McCready:
“George Strait is a person who taught me a lot when I was on tour with him. I don’t know if he knows that.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Tim McGraw:
“If I had to model my career after anybody, it’d be George Strait. He’s made 20, 30 albums and he’s still one of the top performers, if not the top performer in country music. He’s the man, he’s the one that everybody wants to be.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Reba McEntire:
“George Strait and I have always competed. Garth and I compete. I love them, but I love to compete, too.” (Country Weekly, November 21, 1995)

Jo Dee Messina:
“He’s had the longevity of a career based on being true to him and his music, and I admire him. He’s incredible.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Ronnie Milsap:
“To be still as active as he is and on top of his game is really remarkable. He just seems to be getting better. I love his records and I applaud what he’s doing.” (Country Weekly, September 22, 1998)

“We've been fans of each other's for years. He's a sweet guy. ... And this is the most fun I've had. The audiences are so enthusiastic. They're so great. ... George has his huge fan base, and I've got people coming to see me for years. I think our shows are similar but different enough.” (CMT Insider, January 24, 2007)

John Michael Montgomery:
“George has been around since I was wet behind the ears and I’ve sung a lot of his songs. He’s a very nice, genuine guy. I love to see people in this business that are still the same people they were when they started. That’s how I try to live. I want to be the same guy I was before I got into this business. George Strait is one of a kind, no one will ever be like him, but he’s laid a path I’d love to follow. He’s solid as a rock and I admire that.” (Country Weekly, April 7, 1998)

Gretchen Peters (talking about co-writing “Chill Of An Early Fall” with her husband Green Daniel):
“I don't co-write a lot, so it was especially sweet to have our first be together . Everything we do is
collaborative, so there was something very right about it being that way. It was George Strait, so, of course, it went straight to No. 1. I figured this is the way it works all the time. I found out it wasn't that way.” (Country Weekly, March 26, 1996)
Ray Price:
“Real country has not gotten too rock. George Strait’s doing an awfully good job with the real stuff.” (Country America, September, 1997)

Ringo Starr (former drummer of “The Beatles”):
“I love country music, but there’s too much rock ‘n’ roll in it these days. I don’t hear a lot of things I’m crazy about these days, except George Strait.” (Country Weekly, April 8, 1997)

Red Steagall (singer and writer from Texas, who discovered Reba McEntire in 1974):
“There never has been and never will be a more positive image for country music than George Strait. He not only is one of the greatest talents to ever grace the airwaves, stage and screen, but he is a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. George will always be a driving force in the world of country music and I’m proud to be his friend.” (Strait Out Of The Box, 1995)

Jeff Stevens (wrote “Carried Away” and “Carrying Your Love With Me” for George):
“When you feel like you’ve written a great song, the only way for it to get its real due - for it to come out the way you wanted it - is for a great singer to sing it. And George is simply the best.” (Country Weekly, April 14, 1998)

Marty Stuart:
“Every hat act that has crossed the Red River since the early ‘80s owes a debt of gratitude to George Strait.” (Country Weekly, November 10, 1998)

Taylor Swift:
“I was born in 1989, so I've never known a world without George Strait. I've just loved his music since the day I was born. Watching his show, it's hit after hit after hit, and I know the words to every single song. It's just unbelievable that that I'm on tour with him. I'm so excited. Touring with George Strait is so cool because he's a living legend. About a month ago, I was at the CMA Awards and saw him get inducted into the Hall of Fame. And about a week later, I found out I was going to be out on tour with him for his entire tour. It's a dream come true.” (CMT Insider, January 24, 2007)

Pam Tillis:
“He’s an institution, he’s an icon. I like everything he puts out. George’s songs are so accessible. Everything about George is laid-back. He’s easy to look at, he’s easy to listen to.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Randy Travis:
“I’ve been a big George Strait fan ever since I heard ‘Unwound’ on the radio in Charlotte, NC. I also sang a lot of his music in the clubs through the 70’s and early 80’s.” (Strait Out Of The Box, 1995)

Clay Walker:
“The thing about him that I really admire is that the music is still as young as back then. I did learn a lot from him -- mainly about picking songs.” (Country Weekly, November 10, 1998)

Steve Wariner:
“We used to tour together too, early on, and we always were good friends. George’s the kind of guy that don’t say a whole lot, he kind of keeps to himself, and is a quiet kind of person, and I respect that. But, he’s always been really kind to me and really nice.” (Country Giants Special, 1998)

Lari White:
“I’ve been singing all my life, since I was four years old, professionally, and nothing that I had done really prepared me for the first night out with George Strait. He is a wonderful man, all of his people and crew, everyone that works with him, and his fans; the whole experience has just been marvelous.” (Country Countdown USA, 1995)

Lee Ann Womack (on being one of George's opening acts in 1998):
“I always dreamed of playing with George Strait. Always. I grew up in Texas worshiping George, so it's a milestone for me.” (Country Weekly, April 14, 1998)

“I was very much aware of him from the first record on, but my dad became aware of him with his third record, which had "Right or Wrong" on it. I remember my dad saying to me, "My gosh ... this guy sounds like Tommy Duncan." You know, I had been aware of him, but when he did that record, I just really, really fell in love with his music and his band and the stuff he was making.” (Interview with www.Country.com, February 2005)

Erv Woolsey (George’s manager):
“I look at George and see him as one of those rare acts who every year continues to build. People realize that he does have a personality and he is human and they’ve enjoyed seeing that part of him.” (Country Weekly, July 7, 1998)

Chely Wright:
“George Strait invited me onto his bus one night, and he was naming songs off my album--without it being there in front of him. I was freaking out that this current country music king had listened to my record!” (Country America)