Spotlight On
George Strait

The album in question, titled IT JUST COMES NATURAL, is being released in a year that marks Strait's 25th anniversary as a recording artist, and coincides with the announcement that he is the most recent addition to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It's also coming out alongside the jaw-dropping news that George Strait has become the all-time leader for Number One Country singles, as the album's opening track, "Give It Away," recently became his 53rd song to top the charts.
 
But rather than rest on his well-deserved laurels, the legendary Texas troubadour is back with one of the strongest and most well-rounded collections of his career.

For the first time, Strait recorded NATURAL in a new setting - a small studio in Key West, Florida. "I thought it might be a good idea to try something different," says Strait. "You couldn't tell that we cut this down there, there's no island flavor at all, but we just had a blast doing it. The studio is probably the smallest I've ever been in, with the musicians all crammed back in a little room - but we got a great sound, and it's such a relaxing atmosphere. I think I'll probably go back again."

Recorded once again with Strait's frequent co-producer, Tony Brown, the sounds on the album reflect Strait's characteristic blend of traditional country structures shot through with a healthy dose of honky-tonk spirit and Western swing. Moods range from the introspective "Come On, Joe," in which a man's late wife tells him to be strong and move ahead with his life, to the raucous "Texas Cookin'," which is about just what it sounds like. An array of Nashville's finest songwriters contributed to NATURAL, including Bill Anderson, Bruce Robison, Lee Roy Parnell, and Guy Clark.

"I've always just done the music that I felt comfortable doing," says Strait. "I don't really think that everything I've done has been really hard-core traditional - there's definitely songs that you couldn't classify that way. On this album, I wouldn't call the title cut a traditional country song, but it's a great song." Indeed, the smash "Give It Away," features Strait doing some unexpected spoken-sung sections, and it instantly sailed to the top of the country charts.

George Strait knows those charts well. His 1981 debut single "Unwound" was a Top 10 hit - and he has had at least one single hit the Top 10 every year since. His statistics are nothing short of astonishing, with more than 62 million albums sold in his career. He has 13 multi-Platinum, 30 Platinum and 33 Gold albums - more Gold albums than any other artist in Country Music, which ties him with no less than Frank Sinatra in eighth place for the most Gold albums of any artist in any musical genre.

 GIVEN NAME : George Strait
 BORN: May 18, 1952, Poteet, Texas
 FAMILY: Wife - Norma / Son - George, Jr. "Bubba"
 VITAL STATISTICS: Height: 5'10" Weight: 160 lbs.
 EYES: Green
 HAIR: Brown
 INSTRUMENT: Guitar / Piano
 HOBBIES: Steer-roping, Hunting, Fishing, Skiing, Golf
 AFFLILIATIONS: CMA, ASCAP, NARAS, AFTRA, ACM PRCA, USTRC 
 RECORD LABEL: MCA
 PRODUCER: George Strait, Co-Producer Tony Brown
 HOME VIDEO: "George Strait Live" - Certified Gold & Platinum
 PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS:
 . "Amarillo By Morning" 
 . "The Chair"
 . "Baby's Gotten Good At Goodbye"
 . "If I Know Me"
 . "I Cross My Heart"
 . "Heartland"
 . "The Man in Love With You"
 . "Check Yes Or No"
 . "Carrying Your Love With Me"
 . "Write This Down"
 . "Don't Make Me Come Over There And Love You"
 . "She'll Leave You With A Smile"

 THEATRICAL RELEASES: 
 "The Soldier" released in 1981
 "Pure Country" - Warner Bros.;   October 1992 Top Ten Box Office gross for 4 consecutive weeks

 TELEVISION:
 . Academy of Country Music Awards Show Host 1989
 . Academy of Country Music Awards Show Host 1990
 . Academy of Country Music Awards Show Host 1991
 . "George Strait Live from Tucson" - One Hour Special on The Nashville Network
 . CNN Show Biz Today
 . CMA Awards Show Academy of Country Music Awards Show
 . Entertainment Tonight
 . This Year on Country Music
 . Austin City Limits
 . Hee Haw
 . Nashville Now New Country
 . "Strait From The Heart of Texas" - One Hour Special on The Nashville Network
 . "Texas 150" - ABC TV Special
 . Perry Como Christmas in San Antonio - ABC TV Special
 . American Music Awards
 . The Today Show Grammy Awards CBS Morning News
 . The Tonight Show
 . Academy of Country Music Awards Show - Host 1993
 . Academy of Country Music Awards Show - Host 1997

 COMMERCIAL ENDORSEMENTS:
 . Resistol Hats
 . Wrangler
 . Justin Boots

 TOUR SPONSORSHIP:
 . Chevy Trucks

 FAN CLUB:
 George Strait Fan Club
 P.O. Box 2119
 Hendersonville, TN 37077
 (615) 824-7176
 www.georgestrait.com

 2005
 
 CMA's 
 "George Strait holds the Country Music Association's all time record for most career nominations with a total of 73. He was the CMA "Vocalist of the Year" 5 times and the only artist in history to be so honored in two different decades.

 2004

 CMT's 100 Best Country Love Song  - "I Cross My Heart" was #9 on the list

 2003

 ACM 
 - All time record for most career nominations with a total of 71
 - 5 times "Vocalist of the Year" and the only artist in history to be so honored in two different decades."
 ACM Gene Weed Award for Special Achievement - for recognizing his record breaking of 50 #1 singles.
 Award by The President of United Sates - National Medal of Arts -
   The award was given to George by President George W. Bush in the Oval Office

 2002

 Country Weekly
 Favorite Collaborative Song :  
"Designated Driver" with Alan Jackson

 2001

 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Entertainer of the Year
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Impact Award
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Collaborative Event of the Year:  "Murder on Music Row" with Alan Jackson
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Single of the Year : "Murder on Music Row" with Alan Jackson
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Song of the Year : "Murder on Music Row" with Alan Jackson

 2000

 CMA
 Vocal Event of the Year : "Murder on Music Row"  with Alan Jackson
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Entertainer of the Year 
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Male Artist of the Year 
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Album of the Year : Always Never The Same 
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Single of the Year : "Write This Down"
 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards  - Impact Artist of the Year 
 RIAA - 25th Platinum Album Award 
 Career Achievement Award from MCA Records

 1999

 Country Weekly - Golden Pick Award : Favorite Entertainer
 Country Weekly - Golden Pick Award : Favorite Male Artist
 Country Weekly - Golden Pick Award : Favorite Video Entertainer
 Country Weekly - Golden Pick Award : Favorite Album : One Step At A Time
 Country Weekly - Golden Pick Award : Favorite Line Dance Song  "I Just Want To Dance With You" 
 Country Weekly - Golden Pick Award : Favorite Song:  "I Just Want To Dance With You" 
 George Strait Country Music Festival - International Entertainment 
 Buyer Association Award - International Entertainment 
 George Strait Country Music Festival - #2 spot in Pollstar's Mid-Year Top 50 Tours report  

Photos Left and Top: Glenda S. Paradee of Thanks For The Music with George Strait.

   Thanks for the Music!