25 Years With The King

In all the neon-soaked, dust-drenched action of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, there’s now a touchstone entertainment event that gets as much buzz as the rodeo itself.

When George Strait steps onstage for a couple of nights at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena every December, cowboys, cowgirls, and country music fans from all corners of the world congregate to sing along with the King of Country.

Why has Strait so quickly become the entertainment highlight of the world’s glitziest rodeo event? Simply put: He feels like home.

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“The thing I respect the most about George Strait is that he’s never changed,” says Ned LeDoux, son of the late singer-songwriter Chris LeDoux and a rising country artist himself. “He’s the same guy now that he was from the start.

“I saw him play Cheyenne Frontier Days years ago. I was probably 17 and I snuck in to see his show. I remember turning around to check out the crowd and noticed a sea of cowboy hats.”

The sea-of-hats effect will be strong in Vegas as well, and many will top the heads of rodeo stars who have a night off from the NFR arena.

“I like how he talks about cowboys and includes the Western lifestyle in what he sings about,” PBR bull rider Cooper Davis says.

Same goes for fellow rider Ryan Dirteater, who has relied on Strait’s tunes throughout his rodeo career: “[I remember] listening to his music during those all-night drives trying to get home by morning.”

Apart from appearing on our cover multiple times (this one makes the fifth), Strait has provided the perfect soundtrack to C&I  ’s own 25-year run. We came out with the first issues of the magazine just as the singer was hitting new heights of international fame following the 1992 release of Pure Country. He’s continued to release hit after hit ever since, rarely skipping a year.

To celebrate our shared milestone, we’ve reached out to country stars of Strait’s generation and younger, as well as to a few rodeo pros, to hear their thoughts on the King of Country and his living musical legacy.

Says singer Darryl Worley, “I think he has shown people in all the music world how to pick the best songs. At the end of the day, it’s all about the song.”

Here are 25 Strait classics from the last quarter-century. As you read, listen to our “25 Years With The King” playlist, now available at cowboysindians.com.

“Country music for the most part doesn’t necessarily mean the singer is a cowboy. It does with George. He ropes. He rides. He starches his Wranglers the way they should be. His Resistol is shaped just right. He could walk offstage and enter the team roping somewhere. That is why real cowboys are drawn to him and his music. He just looks like one of us up there, singing the kinds of songs we can sing along with. Real country by a real cowboy. Unapologetically!”  - Flint Rasmussen,  PBR’s official entertainer

Love Notes

It’s no wonder that a majority of George Strait’s biggest hits are romantic tunes — his smooth vocal stylings have won him many favorable comparisons to classic crooners who came before him.

The Big One (1994)

Songwriters: Gerry House, Devon O’Day
With a bouncy two-step beat behind him, Strait lays out the moment that Cupid’s arrow strikes.

Check Yes or No (1996)

Songwriters: Danny A. Wells, Dana Hunt Oglesby
One of his most popular hits, and also a blueprint for a uniquely country coming-of-age lyrical structure.

“‘Check Yes or No’ is huge for me. The story line is very similar to my history with my wife, Gabi. She and I met in kindergarten, started dating in high school, and just recently married. She wrote “Mrs. Gabi McCreery” encircled with hearts in her kindergarten diary. ... During the final week of American Idol, I had to perform three songs: one of my choice, one of judge Jennifer Lopez’s choice, and one choice from a musical hero of mine. Of course, George Strait is one of my musical heroes. In fact, his tour with Reba McEntire and Lee Ann Womack was the first country concert I ever attended. George called me and recommended I sing ‘Check Yes or No.’ I sang it with pride on the show because he asked me to. I still sing it often in concert today. Who am I to argue with the King of Country Music?”

— Scotty McCreery

Carried Away (1996)

Songwriters: Steve Bogard, Jeff Stevens
“Like a feather flyin’ high up in the sky on a windy day ...”

One Night at a Time (1997)

Songwriters: Roger Cook, Eddie Kilgallon, Earl Bud Lee
An easy-breezy melody complements the message about working slowly to build a lasting love.

Carrying Your Love With Me (1997)

Songwriters: Steve Bogard, Jeff Stevens
You can’t deny Strait’s expert vocal runs on this one — it’s traditional country, but it’s endlessly soulful.

It Just Comes Natural (2006)

Songwriters: Marv Green, Jim Collins
A celebration of the kind of love that’s low-maintenance, drama-free.

River of Love (2008)

Songwriters: Billy Burnette, Dennis Morgan, Shawn Camp
Strait goes rollin’ over a mix of carefree vacation vibes and twangy steel guitar.

I Just Want to Dance With You (1998)

Songwriters: Roger Cook, John Prine
Couples dance only: Strait offers up a subtle Latin-tinged seduction.

Blue Clear Sky (1996)

Songwriters: Bob DiPiero, John Jarrard, Mark D. Sanders
Another testament to how fast the love bug can hit.

“‘Blue Clear Sky’ takes me back and just puts a smile on my face every time I hear it. This is a song that had a melody I couldn’t get enough of, and I played it over and over again when it first came out. Years later, who knew I’d make it a staple in my sets at the honky-tonks on Lower Broadway and beyond?”

— Dustin Lynch

Heartbreak Hits

On the lyrical flip side, Strait also makes the most of a breakup song. There’s usually a bit of redemption, though.

Easy Come, Easy Go (1993)

Songwriters: Aaron Barker, Dean Dillon
Not many can avoid singing along to this one — that’s part of its simple brilliance.

Write This Down (1999)

Songwriters: Dana Hunt, Kent Robbins
“I never saw the end in sight; fools are kind of blind.”

“Growing up in Texas, we did a lot of two-stepping to George Strait songs. We have a state park in Texas that my family and I would vacation to every year called Garner State Park. They have this thing called the Garner Dance there. The Garner Dance is this place overlooking the Frio River where everyone on the camping grounds meets up at every night and dances. I have so many memories of dancing to ‘Write This Down’ and ‘Check Yes or No’ at the Garner Dance with my family, friends, and even a couple cute boys that asked me to dance.”

— Maddie Marlow of Maddie & Tae

She’ll Leave You With a Smile (2001)

Songwriters: Odie Blackmon, Jay Knowles
A toast to the one who still gets you, even after she’s long gone.

She Let Herself Go (2005)

Songwriters: Dean Dillon, Kerry Kurt Phillips
This one turns a sexist cliché on its head, celebrating a woman’s resilience.

Give It Away (2006)

Songwriters: Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson
Clever from start to finish, this breakup tune begins with Strait talkin’ rather than singin’.

Living for the Night (2009)

Songwriters: George Strait, Bubba Strait, Dean Dillon
His first co-written single mined a classic country idea: turning to whiskey to get over a lost love.

Life Lessons 

You can always learn a thing or two from the King if you listen closely.

I Saw God Today (2008)

Songwriters: Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell, Wade Kirby
Sure, the story’s a tear-jerker, but its message is life-affirming.

“‘I Saw God Today’ has to be one of my favorite George Strait songs. This was my Uncle Sandy’s ring-back tone. I would always hear it when I called. Then when my children were born, I could really relate to it.”

— PBR bull rider Cody Nance

Love’s Gonna Make It Alright (2011)

Songwriters: Al Anderson, Chris Stapleton
The title tells you everything you need to know.

Cold Beer Conversation (2015)

Songwriters: Al Anderson, Ben Hayslip, Jimmy Yeary
Old friends are the best friends because you can talk about anything.

Here for a Good Time (2011)

Songwriters: George Strait, Bubba Strait, Dean Dillon
Father George, son Bubba, and their longtime favorite tune-man crafted this anthem about enjoying every moment.

You Gotta Go Through Hell (2016)

Songwriters: George Strait, Bubba Strait, Dean Dillon
The thick-as-thieves songwriting team returns for an ode to paying one’s dues.

The Best Day (2000)

Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Dean Dillon
Grab a hankie for this heartfelt tribute to the joys of father-son quality time.

“So many George Strait songs have been a huge influence on me, not just as a singer-songwriter but as a fan. ‘The Best Day’ holds a special place in my heart because my dad and I went through everything in the lyrics. And every time we did something with just the two of us, it was the best day for me. He’d coach my sports teams in school; he was a huge country music fan long before I ever even dreamed of a record deal; he bought me my first truck when I was 16, the year ‘The Best Day’ came out! It’s a song that still speaks to me today now that I’m a dad with four kids, and I hope they all have a lot of best days.”

— Justin Moore

Cowboy Tales

Strait has lived the authentic cowboy lifestyle, and that comes through in his delivery of some of the greatest songs on the subject. Says PBR rider Cody Nance, “I feel like George Strait has made such an impression on  the world of country music in many ways, but mostly by keeping the cowboy way alive.”

I Can Still Make Cheyenne (1996)

Songwriters: Aaron Barker, Erv Woolsey
One of Strait’s finest vocal performances, and the brilliant lyrical storytelling doesn’t hurt, either.

“George Strait’s perfect but totally understated delivery on ‘I Can Still Make Cheyenne’ knocked me back the first time I heard it. The story and his singing perfectly captured the loneliness of Big Sky Country. When I first started playing those dusty fairs and rodeos, I thought the cowboys were as exotic as any unicorn I’d ever not seen. I thought that culture was so cool and masochistic. Sort of like being a homesick touring musician with all the sacrifices that encompasses. That rodeo man’s life is screwed-up, but the show goes on. I’ve been there and done that ... got the pearl-button shirt and the taste of dust in my mouth to match!”

— Pam Tillis

“I resonate with it because I, too, feel like a traveling cowboy sometimes. Always on the road, playing shows, and away from home.”

— Dillon Carmichael

Cowboys Like Us (2003)

Songwriters: Bob DiPiero, Anthony Smith
The horses in this song are made of steel, but the spirit of friendship and adventure is timeless.

“George Strait has so many great songs, it’s hard to pick a favorite. If I had to, though, I’d probably pick ‘Cowboys Like Us.’ Great visual phrases. Just a good cowboy song.”

—  Ned LeDoux

The Cowboy Troubadour

Troubadour (2008)

Songwriters: Leslie Satcher, Monty Holmes
This biographical song has a special place in the hearts of many. Listen to it once and you’ll understand why.

“I absolutely love ‘Troubadour.’ When I got a chance to open for George on his The Cowboy Rides Away Tour, I stood front of house and sang every single word, along with the rest of the crowd. It is still an incredible memory for me, and it just made me love the song that much more.”

— Chris Young

“‘Troubadour’ — 20 years of making music and being on the road, this is a song I fell in love with the first time I heard it and felt so relatable to my career. Then seeing the video with old pictures of George playing the early years in the honky-tonks brought back a lot of memories for me and how my career has been built and is growing.”

— Aaron Watson

“George and I go way back, doing shows together since the late ’70s in Texas. George had us open his final tour show in Cowboys Stadium in front of 100,000-plus people, which was one of the most amazing nights in my life. Watching him sing ‘Troubadour’ that night was an emotional experience. To see my friend and the King of Country Music transition to a new chapter in his musical career and life was bittersweet. There was a video that accompanied his performance that night with old pictures and footage from his career, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!”

— Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel

Photography: (Lead photo) Joe Pugliese/courtesy Essential Broadcast Media LLC, (Middle) Getty Images Entertainment. (Top To Bottom) Jeff Ray/Courtesy TRIPLE 8 MANAGEMENT, Ford Fairchild/Courtesy SWEET TALK PUBLICITY, Courtesy Red Light Management, Courtesy Bullstock Media, Jason Meyers/Courtesy SHOREFIRE, Courtesy Absolute Publicity, Courtesy Riser House Records, courtesy nedledoux.com, John Shearer/Courtesy MONARCH PUBLICITY, Joseph Lanes, Nathan Edge/Courtesy SHOREFIRE

From the November/ December 2018 issue.