Located in Washington, D.C., the Kennedy Center is a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy and a stage that has celebrated generations of musical greats. Country legends previously honored include Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, George Jones, and many others. George Strait now rightfully joins that company.
Strait’s resume speaks for itself. With an unmatched 60 No. 1 singles, he is the most successful hitmaker in country music history. He helped usher in the neotraditional country movement in the 1980s, pulling the genre back toward its roots at a time when it was drifting away from them.
Undeterred, he found another opportunity playing with a band called Rambling Country, made up of fellow soldiers. After leaving the Army in 1975, Strait returned to school at Southwest Texas State University, earning a degree in agriculture in 1979. Just two years later, everything changed.
In 1981, he released his major-label debut single, “Unwound,” written by Dean Dillon and Frank Dycus. The song reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, marking his first Top 10 hit—and the beginning of one of the most legendary careers music has ever seen.
Raised by his father on a 2,000-acre farm, Strait came from modest beginnings. That grounding has never left him. During interviews filmed for the Kennedy Center Honors special, he expressed genuine awe and gratitude for the tribute performances delivered by Miranda Lambert and Brooks & Dunn.
“I was blown away,” Strait said, thanking the artists for traveling to honor his music. “They did an amazing job.”
Reflecting on his career, Strait described it as “unbelievable,” admitting that he never imagined standing on a stage like this or receiving such recognition. Continue reading…
