The country music community is celebrating the 65th year of life for the “King of Country Music” George Strait. The icon was born in 1952 in Poteet, Texas to a junior high math teacher and stay-at-home mom. Strait grew up in nearby Pearsall, Texas where he found his first musical love to be rock and roll. Bands such as The Beatles were popular at the time and Strait gravitated to the new sounds of the sixties.
Strait would of course eventually run towards country music, citing influences such as Merle Haggard and George Jones. After serving with the United States Army, Strait returned to Texas to start playing in the honky tonks and bars that would eventually lead him to sign a record deal with RCA in Nashville.
In 1981 Strait released Unwound, the album that would launch his career. The record featured “Down and Out” and “If You’re Thinking You Want a Stranger (There’s One Coming Home)”.
Now 36 years later, Strait has had 60 No. 1 singles, more than any other artist in any genre. He also has 33 platinum or multi-platinum-selling albums, more than any country artist and third across all genres behind only The Beatles and Elvis Presley.
It is safe to say he has earned the title of “King!”
Most recently, the Texas State Legislature awarded George Strait with their top honor as 2017’s State Musician.
“It’s a great honor for me to be selected as Texas State Musician of 2017 and join this very prestigious list of other honorees,” commented Strait. “I’m a very proud Texan and love to sing the praises of our great state every chance I get. Thank you very, very much.”
Below, we have gathered some of the birthday wishes from across the web. We would like to join them in wishing King George a VERY happy birthday!
Happy Birthday King @GeorgeStrait pic.twitter.com/vWWoarBRYL
— Randy Rogers Band (@rrbchoir) May 18, 2017
Share this birthday fun with other George Strait fans!
