George Strait

From ArticleWorld

George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer and songwriter. He has amassed many awards and has had many chart topping hits throughout his career, in fact, he is second in number one hits of all times on all country charts. He has a total of 51, the only artist ahead of him being Conway Twitty.

Strait was born on May 18, 1952 in Poteet, Texas and grew up in Pearsall, Texas. Strait started out playing in a rock band while he was in high school, but before long his musical likes turned to country and artists like Merle Haggard, Bob Wills, George Jones, and Hank Williams.

After he graduated from high school, Straight ran off to Mexico to elope with Norma, his high school sweetheart. He enlisted in the US Army in 1971 and joined an Army band, "Rambling Country." After returning from his tour in the army, Strait attended Southwest Texas State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture.

While in college, Strait was part of the "Ace in the Hold Band" that played at honky-tonks in the area. Straight finally went solo in 1981 and tried his hand at Nashville, Tennessee. He found instant success and his first single ("Unwound") was a Tope Ten hit. This was followed by a long list of No.1 singles like "Fool Hearted Memory,"

Strait was one of the top rated and best selling country artists of the 1980’s and early 90’s. He now holds the overall career record for Country Music Association nominations; he has 73. He was one of the only ones from that era that was able to survive the many pop-country singers such as Garth Brooks.

Brooks has made minor appearances in two films: The Soldier and Pure Country. He also played himself in The Horse Whisperer and Grand Champion. He currently lives with his wife on their ranch in Cotulla, Texas and continues to record country music.