George Strait For President ~ If Popularity Was The Deciding Factor

I can remember thinking after seeing George Strait live in concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here in Las Vegas, this guy is pretty popular. At the concert, he had about 18,000 people clapping, cheering, and yelling for one of the most popular country music artists... ever. Not just in country music... in any genre.

With a cute, sly grin, he spent most of the time peeking out from beneath his black cowboy hat. He told his stories not only by telling them, he also let his music do it's share of storytelling. It is amazing to see any artist these days who is able to keep a super successful career going for more than a few years. To be in the business for 31 years and STILL going strong is nothing short of a spectacular and amazing feat.

Listening to that thunderous applause happening after every song, and the tremendous standing ovation that he deservedly received at the end of the concert, I remember having what I thought was a funny thought... this guy should run for President!

Ok, so the real truth is, anyone who would make a really good president and who WOULD be a fantastic leader... doesn't WANT the job. There is a tendency towards the ego-maniacal, narcissistic ones ending up with the title of President... usually but not always.

BUT, despite the title of this, I'm not going to turn this into a place for political rambling and venting. I just remembered thinking to myself... Self? That sure was a random thought you just had about George Strait there! And a great one at that!

So, the day after the concert, I was messing around on the Internet and I stumbled across an actual page with the title "George Strait For President." It is a Facebook page that was set up to promote this idea... and I didn't know whether it was real or not! But it made me laugh that I was not the only person who ever had this random thought!

In addition, I found a radio station website conducting a poll asking people to vote for their choice of country music performers for President, and the candidates were - Charlie Daniels, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr. and Willie Nelson! Hank Jr. was in the lead with 50% of the vote, Charlie and George were tied at 18.18% each, and Willie had 13.64% of the vote.

Ok, so now that I've provided the voting booth (see the link above)... I hope you all have done your part and voted!

Maybe Hank Williams Jr. would also make a good President... one thing is for certain, you would have NO doubt in your mind where he stands on any issue! Everything would be crystal clear.. And with Charlie Daniel's as President... well, give 'em h*ll Charlie would see that no one would ever get away with doing anything unpatriotic whatsoever.

George Harvey Strait was born on May 18, 1952 (yes, he turned 61 in May of 2013... hard to believe) ~ The funny thing is... when he turned around at the concert and the camera-person "panned" his... back side of his Wrangler's... women were SCREAMING! So what if he's already over 60? If you've still got it, you've still got it!

Self? Pay attention... I think you have a little touch of ADD when you are talking about cowboys... now where was I?

Oh yeah, George Harvey Strait was born on May 18, 1952, in Poteet, Texas, just south of San Antonio. He grew up in nearby Pearsall, Texas.

He is a highly successful country music singer, actor, music producer, and most recently, songwriter. His style is a smooth, 150 proof blend of Western Swing, Honky Tonk, bar-room ballads, and traditional country music all seamlessly blended together to create a sound that only George Strait has been able to successfully create. You always know what you're going to get when you listen to a George Strait record. He continues to deliver year after year, for over 32 years now.

George Strait holds the record for number 1 singles, 58 of them as of 2011. He has more number one songs than any artist, on any chart, and in any genre. His first number 1 single was "Unwound" in 1981. In April of 2009, he was named Artist Of The Decade by the American Country Music Association. He was also elected into the Country Music Hall Of Fame in November of 2006,and received his first Grammy Award in February of 2009 for his hit album titled "Troubadour".

George Strait has sold over 68.5 million albums in his career (so far!) and still going. His best selling album is the 1992 album "Pure Country" a soundtrack for the movie of the same name which he also acted in.

George's father was a junior high school math teacher. When he was in 4th grade, his parents divorced and his mother moved away with his sister. George and his brother, John Jr. were raised on the ranch by their father.

While attending Pearsall High School, he started out in a Rock 'N Roll garage band. George in Rock 'N Roll? I'm thinking with the natural talent he has, he could do anything he put his mind to. Not too long after that, his preferences in music turned to country. He has listed his influences as everyone from Lefty Frizzell to Merle Haggard, George Jones, Hank Williams, AND Frank Sinatra!

He eloped in 1971 with his high school sweetheart, Norma, who he is still married to, for over 40 years now. A few weeks after eloping in Mexico, they returned to Pearsall and said their vows again in a church there.

In 1971, he enlisted in the army and was stationed at Schofield Barracks, an army base located in Hawaii. We were stationed in Hawaii years later, from 1983 until 1986, and I still remember Schofield Barracks well. We were stationed at Hickam Air Force Base.

George was in a country band while he was stationed in Hawaii and they played both on and off base. George and Norma had their first child born while they were living in Hawaii, a girl they named Jenifer.

Once he was honorably discharged from the Army and returned to Texas, he attended college there at Southwest Texas University in San Marcos, and got a degree in agriculture. Good, he can have something to fall BACK on now in case this music thing doesn't work out.... just sayin'!

He continued to play music while in college, joining a band that he re-named the Ace In The Hole Band. They played bars and little local places when a friend of George's, Erv Woolsey, convinced someone from MCA records in Nashville to come and listen to the band. They got a record deal out of that listening session, and the rest as they say, is history.

And what an amazing history it is! Success has followed George and the band for over 30 years now, quite a stunning achievement in today's music business.

Unfortunately, his daughter, Jenifer was killed in a car accident in June of 1986, when she was just 13 years old. In a car with three other teens, the driver took a turn too fast and the car rolled. None of the kids were wearing seat belts, but Jenifer was the only fatality. The accident was blamed on excessive speed.

I know it sounds cliche, but the entire Strait family now has an angel watching over them, one that they'll see again someday. At least, that's what I believe. In her name, a foundation was set up to raise money to help children's charities in Texas. Called the Jenifer Lynn Strait Foundation, it still honors the memory of beautiful Jenifer by helping other children.

George and Norma Strait had a son, born in 1981, named George Jr. and he is affectionately called "Bubba." Bubba is a graduate of Texas A & M University, and has been pursuing a career in team roping competitions in the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.) A bit more recently, Bubba has been co-writing songs with his father, and George sang one of them the night we saw him here in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden arena. George has even self penned a song that is a tribute to his loyal fans, many that have been following his career since the beginning.

The tune written as a tribute to his fans appears on his 39th Album, "Here For A Good Time" and was co-written with his son, Bubba, and Dean Dillon, and is called "I'll Always Remember You." George has been making this foray into songwriting, and from the songs we heard that night, he is going to be every bit as successful as he has been in the past by using songs penned by others. The difference being that since he has started writing, the songs are able to be even more personal.

I can hardly wait to see what the future holds in store for this outstanding country legend... he announced at his concert on February 4th here in Las Vegas, that his son, Bubba and his Wife, Tamara, had just had a baby boy a few days before... George and Norma are now Grandparents!

I can only begin to imagine the inspiration for some great songs that will follow this experience, I know from being a Grandma, there is nothing in the WORLD like the feeling of holding your first grandchild. Congratulations to George, Norma, Bubba, Bubba's Wife Tamara, and their newborn son.

When George came to Las Vegas again on February 2, 2013 to the MGM Grand Garden Arena, tickets were sold out within hours, an endearing testament to his popularity. There aren't too many singers who can still sell out a show within hours, George is one of them.

George is saying farewell to most of the touring he has been doing, but he does have a deal to create five more albums. If they are anything like his previous work, fans will be lining up to hear new songs from one of the greatest country music legends... ever.

Keep up the great work, George, and even though I'd like to, I won't put your name on that ballot as a write in candidate in the upcoming election. You're going to have your hands FULL with everything else going on right now! Congratulations and all the BEST to all of you!