CMT Blog: George Strait

Will George Strait fight litter with glitter? Not likely. Will he use the miniature horse to promote the cause? No way. And the custom-made cowboy boots won't do either. Because he's George Strait, a man who's not exactly into flashy gimmicks. That's why his 30-second public service announcement to get Texans to stop messing around is so perfectly him. He waits until the actor-playing-director is done brainstorming bad ideas, then Strait just stands up out of his director's chair and says, "Hang on. I think I've got this. Don't mess with Texas means don't litter."

My dad was long gone by the time I was about six years old, so my mom was really like a mother AND a father to me for most of my formative years. I could never really express that to her when she was alive because there's no Mother's Day card for that sentiment. But what I am going to do on Sunday (May 8) is think about all those bittersweet country songs that celebrate parenthood from the dad's perspective. I do this in honor of all the mothers out there who are doing both jobs.

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I don't know exactly how you get appointments to write with hit songwriters in Nashville, but I'm guessing you don't just call up a legend like Dean Dillon and pencil something in the way you do with a dentist or hair stylist. You probably have to know somebody, and more importantly, be on the verge of becoming Somebody. So this morning I saw Josh Thompson's tweet that said, "Writin with Dean Dillon today. He's a legend in the writing world, I've waited for this day for a long time." That means something. That a guy like Dillon who has an extremely exhaustive list of hits he's penned for George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and more, would be willing to spend some time with Thompson. And I cannot wait to hear what the two of them come up with.

During a backstage interview last month, Lee Ann Womack told me that she's in the mixing phase of her new album, which she hopes to release this summer. And if she hadn't been holding a latte at the time, I would have reached over and hugged her. I've followed her career since 1997 when I attended a reception for her debut album on Decca Records, which later folded in MCA Nashville. At that time, her traditional approach was a rarity among new artists, especially because Shania Twain's The Woman in Me was all the rage. But in time, the native Texan found an appreciative classic country audience thanks to her natural twang and endorsements from the likes of Alan Jackson and George Strait. If you're a new to country music and curious about her early work, her Greatest Hits should get you up to speed. Beyond that, here's a playlist of top-notch album cuts and newer singles encompassing her career.

"I May Hate Myself in the Morning"
"Last Call"
"Solitary Thinkin'"
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Approaching Gruene, Texas, from Austin on I-35, the lay of the land looks much like it would anywhere in America. Shopping plazas, cheap motels and fast food franchises line the corridor in never-ending repetition, but a few short miles off the freeway, a holdout of simpler times exists. Gruene has managed to retain its charm and tranquility as a historic site, and its centerpiece -- a true bucket-list item for any country music fan -- is Gruene Hall, the state's oldest dance hall. I had the good fortune to see Reckless Kelly for my first Gruene Hall experience Friday night (March 26).

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As far as star-studded country lineups go, this ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn - The Last Rodeo tribute concert in Las Vegas probably tops them all. It seems like every day they add a few more artists to up the ante even more. So naturally, I want to go. What country fan wouldn't? This tribute concert has just about everyone now: Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. And I wouldn't be surprised if folks like Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Zac Brown Band, Montgomery Gentry, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and/or Gary Allan decide to get in on the fun. The show's going to be filmed on April 19 (the day after the ACM Awards) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, then will be on CBS on May 23.

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You know that George Strait song that says, "When you hear twin fiddles and a steel guitar, you're listenin' to the sound of the American heart"? Well, when I don't hear twin fiddles and a steel guitar, I think I must be listening to just another rock song. And I don't really like it. So when I first saw this Rascal Flatts video for "Unstoppable," with so much guitar and not much else, I was not a fan. But then I remembered, "Oh yeah, I love this song." So now when I watch it, I just try to let Gary LeVox' voice -- and the lyrics about being able to do the impossible, find the faith that's been lost and shaken, and having the strength to race the wind -- be all that I hear. And I know I can do that, because this song makes me feel unstoppable.

Last year I attempted to make a playlist encompassing George Jones' career in country music, but despite numerous compilations and box sets at my disposal, I couldn't track down his signature hits from the late 1960s and early 1970s when he recorded for the Musicor label. Later I learned that perpetual lawsuits have kept those tracks from being reissued over the years. However, the fine folks at Time-Life have somehow figured out a way to make everybody happy -- especially me -- by acquiring the rights to 34 sides from that era for a new double-disc set, George Jones: The Great Lost Hits.

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All the buzz about Easton Corbin (“A Little More Country Than That”) has been that he’s the new George Strait. And he really does sound a lot like Strait. His voice, the guitars and his songwriting all echo King George's style. But I just played this online shell game -- only with Corbin’s baseball caps -- and discovered there is way more to him. You just keep your eye on the caps and if you can click on the one he’s hiding under, you can unlock his songs. All 11 tracks, if you keep playing. And when you do, you’ll discover that not only does Corbin have the same kind of traditional country sound as his heroes like Keith Whitley and George Jones, but also some contemporary artists. I hear traces of Joe Nichols in “That’ll Make You Want to Drink” and Jimmy Buffett in “A Lot to Learn About Livin’.” Musical comparisons aside, though, Corbin’s his own man and his self-titled debut album is proof of that.

She has been singing with George Strait for nine years, but background singer Marty Slayton is still the rookie. "The story goes that the Ace in the Hole band hired George Strait to be their singer, then he got a record deal," Slayton told me. And that was some 25 years ago. So while the musicians who back Strait have been with him forever, Slayton's one of the newest ones on the road.

And it seems like it would be a gig that never gets old. Slayton says she loves her job. Her favorite part? "I get to stand behind George and watch people watch him. The little kids, the old ladies, everyone," she said. "And they all know every word." Strait's a good boss, too. "He's definitely a star, but not in an intimidating way. He's accessible, he's friendly, he's nice. But he's also the CEO of his whole deal."

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