With 50 Number Ones, George Strait marks a monumental career achievement: The two-CD set celebrates a landmark that distinguishes the Texan from every singer of his generation.
An accomplishment of this magnitude deserves an equally significant response. What better way to honor the feat than by collecting all of the top hits in one historic package?
So, as a tribute to George Strait's massive and enduring success, MCA Records is releasing 50 Number Ones, a unique hit package honoring the most successful country singer of his generation.
When "She'll Leave You with a Smile" reached the top of the charts, the soft-spoken Texas cowboy broke Conway Twitty's record for the most No. 1 singles by a solo artist. Ironically, when George first heard the tune, he said it reminded him of a great Conway Twitty tune. That's why he decided to record it.
Of course, George's influence on country music extends far beyond his incredible chart success. Overcoming Nashville's initial reservations about his traditional style, George's success changed country music forever because it convinced record companies to give other young, traditional-sounding artists an opportunity. Once that happened, country music not only rebounded; it became more popular than it had ever been.
Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Tim McGraw -- to name just a few -- all cite George Strait as a primary influence. Garth, for one, decided to become a country singer after hearing George's debut album, Strait Country. When Garth won his first CMA Entertainer of the Year award, he dedicated it to "two George's" -- Jones and Strait. Tim McGraw went so far as to record a song about him, "Give It to Me Strait."
Through it all, George has remained the same down-to-earth guy he was before he ever had a single No. 1 hit -- much less 50 of them. He's still a solid, reliable, no-frills performer who walks center stage and sings as many songs as he can fit into a show, and that's all it takes to make a crowd erupt and hang on every word.
His biggest stage move is a slightly shy smile. His biggest crowd exhortation is a softly spoken thank you. His only gimmick is his sincerity and his interest in communicating each line of his songs with clarity and just the right subtle inflections.
Even after his starring role in the film Pure Country made him a Hollywood success, George remains the gentleman cowboy singer, never veering far from his core sound. Over the years, he's proven how to stay consistent yet fresh; listen to these songs, and it's evident how varied Strait's repertoire is. From "We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" to "I Just Want to Dance With You" to "I Can Still Make Cheyenne" to "Write This Down" - all as different from each other as they can be -- he keeps finding distinctive ways to balance traditional and contemporary influences.
Still, there's a steady line from the start of the album to its finish. It's obvious that George Strait's consistency and reliability are among the reasons he's become the most popular and enduring country singer of his generation.
To commemorate the career benchmark of his 50 Number Ones album, George Strait agreed to address questions about his career. His comments reveal both his modesty and his dedication to his music and to doing things his way.
Question: Describe what happened when you first brought your music to Nashville. What was the reaction?
Answer: The reaction I received when I first came to Nashville was that I was too country. I figured I was doomed. However, you have to remember that this was the late 70s, and the pendulum had swung more to the pop side. Fortunately, that changed, and then I seemed to fit right in.
Q: How much pressure did you face to change, to modernize or make your music more mainstream?