George Strait

George Strait

The King Of Country Music

By Russ ZesigerThe Early Years

Born in Poteet, Texas on May 18, 1952Has 1 brother and 1 sisterWas raised by his Dad, who was a School TeacherFamily had a ranch that had been in the Strait family for over hundred years.Teenage Years

Gets into music at a very young ageJoins a rock band in high schoolMarried his long time girlfriend Norma Voss 1971Joins the military where he ends up joining a military sponsored country music band Start Of Career

Released from the military and moves back to TexasStarts up the Ace in the Hole bandStarted with an independent Dallas based label DIn the late 70s tries to get a start in Nashville, no luckDiscovered by MCA Records in 1980 1980s

1st album released under MCA goes Platinum Releases an amazing 8 more albums, every one goes PlatinumRecords 17 subsequent #1 hits in the 80sWins multiple country music awards80s Hard Times

George and Norma lose their oldest child, Jennifer in a tragic auto accident at only 14 years old. George and Norma start the The Jennifer Strait Memorial Foundation George made the decision that nothing worse could happen, that he would always make his family his priority, and if it hurt his career, so be it.

1990s

Georges 1st leading role in the movie Pure CountrySoundtrack to the movie ends up being the largest commercial sales album for George to date

90s

George release 10 albums during this decade with most of them going to multiple Platinum statusReleases his 1st box set. It was the best selling country box set of all time, selling more than eight million copiesGeorge added another 17 #1 hits to his record

2000-Present

Releases 9 albums2006 reached a huge milestone, 30 years in the Music Industry2009 received the artist of the decade award2012 announce the Cowboy Rides Away Tour where he would be retiring from touring Inducted into the Hall of Fame

There has only been one other artist to receive that honour while still actively recording.Awards/Records

2009 Received the Artist of the Decade (ACM Award)2010 Received the Top Country Artist of the Past 25 years (Billboard Music Award)Holds the record for most number one albums, gold albums, platinum albums, and multi-platinum in the history of country musicHas recorded the most number one songs and top five songs in the history of music of any kind

Awards/Records

He has won the CMA Vocalist of the Year 5 times and the only artist in country music history to be so honored in two different decades.Currently holds the record for most CMA winswith 22. Has an amazing 60 #1 hits to his credit.

Family Life

Hobby's

Loves to team ropeSponsors his own team roping event each March in TexasLoves to hunt and fish with his son Bubba. He enjoys coming to Northern Utah each year to hunt mule deer.

Composition Listening Guide

Marina del Rey 0.00 Introduction: The introduction begins with the piano creating a soft timbre. It also has a simple motif, making the song very identifiable. 0.11 Verse 1: The verse is accompanied by the piano and then the drums and fiddle come in creating a harmony with consonance. 0.44 Chorus: Song continues to tell a love story. The dynamics stronger, creating a piano forte sound, with the piano leading into the 2nd verse. 1.23 2nd Verse: This verse is also accompanied by a variety of instruments, continuing a slow tempo. The music is the same as the first verse. 2.02 Chorus: It repeats the same chorus, keeping the same lyrics and tempo. The melody is very easy to sing along to. 2.35 Ending: The song ends finishing the story. The piano and fiddle fade out with a decrescending dynamic.

Her Goodbye Hit Me In the Heart

0.00 Introduction: The introduction starts out with the guitar and violin, creating a medium tempo. It leads into the 1st verse with decrescendo.0.11 Verse 1: The first verse is accompanied by the guitar, cymbals and key board. The texture is very monophonic, creating a nice soft melody.0.51 Chorus: The chorus changes tempo to a faster rhythm and then goes back to a slower tempo. The lyrics are very repetitious; the texture becomes homophonic as the background singers come in and out throughout the chorus.1.36 2nd Verse: This verse also has a monophonic texture with the same music as the first verse, continuing a very nice slow tempo. The keyboard and violin come in adding a beautiful timbre.2.14 Chorus: The chorus is the same, with a change in the dynamic as it gets louder to a mezzofurte piano and then back to a softer dynamic. You can hear the back ground vocals adding in oohs and oohs to create a nice polyphonic texture as well.3.21 Fade out: The song ends with the instruments fading out, creating a decrescendo.

She lays it all on the line

00.0 Introduction: The introduction starts out with the guitar, drums and piano. The tempo is fast creating a fun, catchy rhythm. 1st Verse: The first verse is accompanied by the drums and fiddle. With a continuation of the fast tempo and beginning with a monophonic texture.00.36 Chorus: The chorus creates a change in the dynamics as the volume becomes louder into a pianoforte dynamic. The background voices are added changing the texture of the song to a nice harmony, coming in and out creating a singable melody. The piano comes in at the end of the chorus adding a nice rhythmic touch.00.51 2nd Verse: The second verse also accompanied by the fiddle and drums. The drums help to keep a nice tempo and the fiddle adds a soft timbre to the song.1.05 Chorus: The chorus is the same with the change in dynamics as before.1.24 3rd Verse: This verse is in a little higher pitch and adds some variety with an acoustic solo following the lyrics.1.54 Chorus: The chorus again changing the dynamics and continuing a nice fast rhythm.2.15 Chorus add-on: The last line of the chorus is repeated and then ends with the drums in a nice big finish.

You Look So Good in LoveIntroduction: The introduction begins with the keyboard, guitar and cymbals. The tempo is slow, with the keyboard creating a nice decrescendo leading into the first verse.0.14 Verse 1: The verse is accompanied by the keyboard, guitar and cymbals creating a monophonic texture and continuing a slow rhythm.0.38 Chorus: The chorus creates a change in the dynamics of the song as it crescends. The harmony continues to be very consonant with a unison added also as the backup voices come in.1.02 2nd Verse: The second verse continues to tell the love story and the texture changes back to monophonic as in the first verse. Also keeping a very nice singable melody. 1.30 Chorus: The chorus repeats itself with the slow tempo and same lyrics and music. There is a decrescendo leading into the 3rd verse with the keyboard.2.01 3rd Verse: The third verse gives some variety to the song. The dynamic is a pianoforte, creating a soft timbre.2.33 Chorus: The chorus repeats continuing a singable melody.2.55 Chorus add-on: The chorus continues on and then fades out in the middle. Ending the song in a decrescendo

Why Not Now

0.00 Introduction: The introduction beings with the guitar, drums, keyboard and violin. It has a nice simple motif, making the song easily identifiable. It leads into the 1st verse with a nice acoustic decrescendo.00.15 1st Verse: The 1st verse has a slow tempo, with George creating a monophonic texture as he sings with a very relaxing timbre.00.44 Chorus: As the chorus starts the tempo changes to a faster rhythm and then the background voices create a unison that continues through the chorus. The lyrics are very simple to follow and sing along with.1.23 2nd Verse: This verse includes the same accompaniment as the first verse however; the violin comes in adding a nice touch to the timbre of the song as it adds a very peaceful touch.1.50 Chorus: The chorus again creating a faster tempo and louder dynamic. I really enjoy the lyrics, particularly in the chorus of this song.2.35 Chorus add-on: The chorus repeats once again, ending with the first line of the chorus, why not now? And then a nice acoustic finish.

Work Cited

(n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2014, from George Striat: http://www.georgestrait.com/gs_biography.asp(n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2014, from The Boot: http://theboot.com/top-george-strait-songs/A+E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. (19962013). Retrieved February 2014, from Biography.com: www.biography.com/people/georgestrait.comCMT Artists. (2014). Retrieved February 13, 2014, from About George Striat: http://www.cmt.com/artists/george-strait/biography/About.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2014, from Country music.about.com: http://countrymusic.about.com/od/georgestrait/p/blprgstrait.htm