Strait talks longevity with new CD
2006/10
By JOHN GEROME, Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - It‘s almost become a maxim on Music Row: George Strait rarely does interviews.
What made you want to record the first single, "Give It Away"? "It‘s a little different. It‘s one of the neatest singles I‘ve had out in a while, I think."
But soon Strait warmed up and got on a roll and even flashed a humble, almost self-deprecating sense of humor. If he dwells on his 25 years of hits or his November induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he doesn‘t show it.
The new album, released this week, is classic Strait — a blend of honky tonk, Western swing and barroom ballads delivered in his meaty baritone. He‘s pretty much followed course since his debut album "Strait Country."
Strait, 54, says it all begins with a melody.
He worked again with longtime co-producer Tony Brown, but this time they recorded a long way from Nashville or even Texas, holing up in a tiny studio in Key West, Fla. He got the idea while recording with Jimmy Buffett a few years ago.
The son of a junior high math teacher, the Texas-born Strait started playing in rock bands in high school, but switched to country while singing in an Army band (he enlisted in 1971 and served four years). He was heavily influenced by the Western swing of Bob Wills and the honky tonk of Merle Haggard and George Jones .
He came to Nashville in 1981, while country music was in the throes of a pop movement, and along with Ricky Skaggs and Reba McEntire was heralded as a neo-traditionalist reviving country‘s past.
He and his wife, Norma, started a memorial fund in their daughter‘s name that still contributes to children‘s charities in and around San Antonio.
"We shared a lot of grief in the early days of our careers. It was tough on him, but he‘s been tough to hang in and continue to play, and I think music has been a great therapeutic thing for him and his family."
Though widely perceived as a staunch traditionalist, Strait acknowledges outside influences in his music. A fan of classic pop crooners Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby , he even recorded a duet with Sinatra in 1994. Songs such as his 2003 hit "Cowboys Like Us" have a soaring pop chorus behind the Western imagery.
"There have been songs that certainly couldn‘t be classified as traditional country," Strait said. "I‘ve always just done the music that I felt comfortable doing, songs that I felt like I could sing and songs that I liked."
But country will always be his core. "I think it‘s an art form that will always be with us, and we may move a little bit away from it at times but it‘s always going to come back."
As for his longevity, he credits the people around him, including his family, whom he sometimes bounces songs off to get their opinions.
Skaggs thinks it goes beyond that. He said Strait and Brown have been savvy not to alienate their loyal fan base.
"He hasn‘t strayed away from what brought him to the dance. He‘s dancing with the same girl, and I think he‘s been wise to do that," Skaggs said. "He has such a big fan base. As long as George doesn‘t stray too far, I think he‘ll have success as long as he wants to keep making records."
In recent years Strait has cut back on his touring schedule, spending more time with his family on his south Texas ranch, where he raises cattle and horses and "everything‘s got a thorn on it." He and his son, Bubba, compete in team roping contests.
Since learning in August of his pending induction in the Hall of Fame, he‘s also reflected more on his career.
"To have that happen while I still feel like I‘m competitive and successful in the stuff I‘m putting out and in the shows we‘re doing — and while I can still walk up and accept the honor without any help (laughs) — is just amazing to me," Strait said. "Here lately I kind of wake up in the morning and think about that."
And, thankfully, talk about it, too.
'It Just Comes Natural' for George Strait after 25 years
The Associated Press
Published: October 5, 2006
NASHVILLE, Tennessee It has almost become a maxim on Music Row, Nashville's home to the country music industry: George Strait rarely does interviews.
And although he agreed to talk to The Associated Press via phone for the release of his new album, "It Just Comes Natural," when the questions began, the famously taciturn singer was true to form.
What made you want to record the first single, "Give It Away"? "It's a little different. It's one of the neatest singles I've had out in a while, I think."
Why is it different? "There's a lot of talking in the song, and it's different in that respect. It's a real cool-written song about a relationship breaking up."
But soon Strait warmed up and got on a roll and even, flashing a humble, almost self-deprecating sense of humor. If he dwells on his 25 years of hits or his November induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he doesn't show it.
"Twenty-five years in this business is a long time, but it doesn't seem that long to me — until I look in the mirror," he said, laughing a little.
The new album, released this week, is classic Strait — a blend of honky tonk, Western swing and barroom ballads delivered in his meaty baritone. He's pretty much followed course since his debut album "Strait Country."
Yet while many of his contemporaries have faded, he remains a superstar. "Give It Away," an old-school country song with spoken-word sections, fiddle and twangy guitars, became his 53rd No. 1 single last month.
Strait, 54, says it all begins with a melody.
"It's hard to put my finger on one thing and say, 'This is what I'm looking for in a song.' I don't know exactly what it is. But when it strikes me, I know I want to go into the studio and cut it," he said.
He worked again with longtime co-producer Tony Brown, but this time they recorded a long way from Nashville or even Texas, holing up in a tiny studio in Key West, Florida. He got the idea while recording with Jimmy Buffett a few years ago.
"I thought it might be a good idea to try something different," he said. "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 son of a junior high math teacher, the Texas-born Strait started playing in rock bands in high school, but switched to country while singing in an Army band (he enlisted in 1971 and served four years). He was heavily influenced by the Western swing of Bob Wills and the honky tonk of Merle Haggard and George Jones.
He came to Nashville in 1981, while country music was in the throes of a pop movement, and along with Ricky Skaggs and Reba McEntire was heralded as a neo-traditionalist reviving country's past.
But just as he was ascending to superstardom, his 13-year-old daughter, Jenifer, was killed in a car crash in 1986. The family was devastated, and Strait is said to have become a more private man after the accident. To this day, he won't discuss it publicly.
He and his wife, Norma, started a memorial fund in their daughter's name that still contributes to children's charities in and around San Antonio.
"My son got shot right before that," recalled Skaggs, whose then 7-year-old son Andrew survived being shot while riding in the car with his mother.
"We shared a lot of grief in the early days of our careers. It was tough on him, but he's been tough to hang in and continue to play, and I think music has been a great therapeutic thing for him and his family."
Though widely perceived as a staunch traditionalist, Strait acknowledges outside influences in his music. A fan of classic pop crooners Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, he even recorded a duet with Sinatra in 1994. Songs such as his 2003 hit "Cowboys Like Us" have a soaring pop chorus behind the Western imagery.
"There have been songs that certainly couldn't be classified as traditional country," Strait said. "I've always just done the music that I felt comfortable doing, songs that I felt like I could sing and songs that I liked."
In recent years Strait has cut back on his touring schedule, spending more time with his family on his south Texas ranch, where he raises cattle and horses and "everything's got a thorn on it." He and his son, Bubba, compete in team roping contests.
Since learning in August of his pending induction in the Hall of Fame, he's also reflected more on his career.
"To have that happen while I still feel like I'm competitive and successful in the stuff I'm putting out and in the shows we're doing — and while I can still walk up and accept the honor without any help (laughs) — is just amazing to me," Strait said. "Here lately I kind of wake up in the morning and think about that."
___
On the Net:
http://www.georgestrait.com
NASHVILLE, Tennessee It has almost become a maxim on Music Row, Nashville's home to the country music industry: George Strait rarely does interviews.
And although he agreed to talk to The Associated Press via phone for the release of his new album, "It Just Comes Natural," when the questions began, the famously taciturn singer was true to form.
What made you want to record the first single, "Give It Away"? "It's a little different. It's one of the neatest singles I've had out in a while, I think."
Why is it different? "There's a lot of talking in the song, and it's different in that respect. It's a real cool-written song about a relationship breaking up."
But soon Strait warmed up and got on a roll and even, flashing a humble, almost self-deprecating sense of humor. If he dwells on his 25 years of hits or his November induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he doesn't show it.
"Twenty-five years in this business is a long time, but it doesn't seem that long to me — until I look in the mirror," he said, laughing a little.
The new album, released this week, is classic Strait — a blend of honky tonk, Western swing and barroom ballads delivered in his meaty baritone. He's pretty much followed course since his debut album "Strait Country."
Yet while many of his contemporaries have faded, he remains a superstar. "Give It Away," an old-school country song with spoken-word sections, fiddle and twangy guitars, became his 53rd No. 1 single last month.
Strait, 54, says it all begins with a melody.
"It's hard to put my finger on one thing and say, 'This is what I'm looking for in a song.' I don't know exactly what it is. But when it strikes me, I know I want to go into the studio and cut it," he said.
He worked again with longtime co-producer Tony Brown, but this time they recorded a long way from Nashville or even Texas, holing up in a tiny studio in Key West, Florida. He got the idea while recording with Jimmy Buffett a few years ago.
"I thought it might be a good idea to try something different," he said. "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 son of a junior high math teacher, the Texas-born Strait started playing in rock bands in high school, but switched to country while singing in an Army band (he enlisted in 1971 and served four years). He was heavily influenced by the Western swing of Bob Wills and the honky tonk of Merle Haggard and George Jones.
He came to Nashville in 1981, while country music was in the throes of a pop movement, and along with Ricky Skaggs and Reba McEntire was heralded as a neo-traditionalist reviving country's past.
But just as he was ascending to superstardom, his 13-year-old daughter, Jenifer, was killed in a car crash in 1986. The family was devastated, and Strait is said to have become a more private man after the accident. To this day, he won't discuss it publicly.
He and his wife, Norma, started a memorial fund in their daughter's name that still contributes to children's charities in and around San Antonio.
"My son got shot right before that," recalled Skaggs, whose then 7-year-old son Andrew survived being shot while riding in the car with his mother.
"We shared a lot of grief in the early days of our careers. It was tough on him, but he's been tough to hang in and continue to play, and I think music has been a great therapeutic thing for him and his family."
Though widely perceived as a staunch traditionalist, Strait acknowledges outside influences in his music. A fan of classic pop crooners Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, he even recorded a duet with Sinatra in 1994. Songs such as his 2003 hit "Cowboys Like Us" have a soaring pop chorus behind the Western imagery.
"There have been songs that certainly couldn't be classified as traditional country," Strait said. "I've always just done the music that I felt comfortable doing, songs that I felt like I could sing and songs that I liked."
In recent years Strait has cut back on his touring schedule, spending more time with his family on his south Texas ranch, where he raises cattle and horses and "everything's got a thorn on it." He and his son, Bubba, compete in team roping contests.
Since learning in August of his pending induction in the Hall of Fame, he's also reflected more on his career.
"To have that happen while I still feel like I'm competitive and successful in the stuff I'm putting out and in the shows we're doing — and while I can still walk up and accept the honor without any help (laughs) — is just amazing to me," Strait said. "Here lately I kind of wake up in the morning and think about that."
NATURAL STRAIT
Laid-back album is packed with memorable tunes
By MALCOLM MAYHEW
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
Singer George Strait, shown performing at the 39th annual CMA Awards in November, is back to making good music.
For a while, George Strait was beginning to worry us.
In the early '80s, the Texas native released one terrific record after another, from Strait Country to Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind to Something Special. These were records that not only helped shape contemporary country music but also paid homage to those who came before him, with their simple arrangements and attention to traditional instrumentation.
But in the '90s, Strait fell into such a lazy pattern of making middle-of-the-road country and Western swing, the only way you can tell some records apart is by DNA testing.
Thankfully, he came full circle a few years ago with 2003's organic-sounding Honkeytonkville, and it's a sound and attitude that he maintains on It Just Comes Natural, his 29th studio album (in stores this week).
It Just Comes Natural was recorded in a small, ramshackle studio in Mexico [recorded in Buffett's studio in Key West, Florida, not Mexico], and, on many of the songs, the loose vibe is obvious, as on the rambunctious single Give It Away and Guy Clark's barrel-of-laughs Texas Cookin'. With Tony Brown still in the producer's chair, the songs are big and vibrant and slightly glossy, but the change of environment, no question, gives these songs a more laid-back tone; the album cover isn't even the typical Strait pose.
At 15 songs, it's longer than most Strait albums, but it's a fat-free 15. From melancholy ballads like Why Can't I Leave Her Alone and I Ain't Her Cowboy Anymore to the Caribbean-flavored Come on Joe to a beautiful cover of Texan Bruce Robison's Wrapped, these are all solid, melodic and memorable songs, none of which should have been left out.
Now into his mid-50s, you sort of expect Strait to do what he was doing in the '90s and just coast along on the wings of mediocre music. On the contrary, he's back to making music that is both traditional and confident; these seem to be some of the best years of his life.
GRADE: A-
'It Just Comes Natural' for George Strait after 25 years
The Associated Press
Published: October 5, 2006
NASHVILLE, Tennessee It has almost become a maxim on Music Row, Nashville's home to the country music industry: George Strait rarely does interviews.
And although he agreed to talk to The Associated Press via phone for the release of his new album, "It Just Comes Natural," when the questions began, the famously taciturn singer was true to form.
What made you want to record the first single, "Give It Away"? "It's a little different. It's one of the neatest singles I've had out in a while, I think."
Why is it different? "There's a lot of talking in the song, and it's different in that respect. It's a real cool-written song about a relationship breaking up."
But soon Strait warmed up and got on a roll and even, flashing a humble, almost self-deprecating sense of humor. If he dwells on his 25 years of hits or his November induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he doesn't show it.
"Twenty-five years in this business is a long time, but it doesn't seem that long to me — until I look in the mirror," he said, laughing a little.
The new album, released this week, is classic Strait — a blend of honky tonk, Western swing and barroom ballads delivered in his meaty baritone. He's pretty much followed course since his debut album "Strait Country."
Yet while many of his contemporaries have faded, he remains a superstar. "Give It Away," an old-school country song with spoken-word sections, fiddle and twangy guitars, became his 53rd No. 1 single last month.
Strait, 54, says it all begins with a melody.
"It's hard to put my finger on one thing and say, 'This is what I'm looking for in a song.' I don't know exactly what it is. But when it strikes me, I know I want to go into the studio and cut it," he said.
He worked again with longtime co-producer Tony Brown, but this time they recorded a long way from Nashville or even Texas, holing up in a tiny studio in Key West, Florida. He got the idea while recording with Jimmy Buffett a few years ago.
"I thought it might be a good idea to try something different," he said. "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 son of a junior high math teacher, the Texas-born Strait started playing in rock bands in high school, but switched to country while singing in an Army band (he enlisted in 1971 and served four years). He was heavily influenced by the Western swing of Bob Wills and the honky tonk of Merle Haggard and George Jones.
He came to Nashville in 1981, while country music was in the throes of a pop movement, and along with Ricky Skaggs and Reba McEntire was heralded as a neo-traditionalist reviving country's past.
But just as he was ascending to superstardom, his 13-year-old daughter, Jenifer, was killed in a car crash in 1986. The family was devastated, and Strait is said to have become a more private man after the accident. To this day, he won't discuss it publicly.
He and his wife, Norma, started a memorial fund in their daughter's name that still contributes to children's charities in and around San Antonio.
"My son got shot right before that," recalled Skaggs, whose then 7-year-old son Andrew survived being shot while riding in the car with his mother.
"We shared a lot of grief in the early days of our careers. It was tough on him, but he's been tough to hang in and continue to play, and I think music has been a great therapeutic thing for him and his family."
Though widely perceived as a staunch traditionalist, Strait acknowledges outside influences in his music. A fan of classic pop crooners Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, he even recorded a duet with Sinatra in 1994. Songs such as his 2003 hit "Cowboys Like Us" have a soaring pop chorus behind the Western imagery.
"There have been songs that certainly couldn't be classified as traditional country," Strait said. "I've always just done the music that I felt comfortable doing, songs that I felt like I could sing and songs that I liked."
In recent years Strait has cut back on his touring schedule, spending more time with his family on his south Texas ranch, where he raises cattle and horses and "everything's got a thorn on it." He and his son, Bubba, compete in team roping contests.
Since learning in August of his pending induction in the Hall of Fame, he's also reflected more on his career.
"To have that happen while I still feel like I'm competitive and successful in the stuff I'm putting out and in the shows we're doing — and while I can still walk up and accept the honor without any help (laughs) — is just amazing to me," Strait said. "Here lately I kind of wake up in the morning and think about that."
___
On the Net:
http://www.georgestrait.com
NASHVILLE, Tennessee It has almost become a maxim on Music Row, Nashville's home to the country music industry: George Strait rarely does interviews.
And although he agreed to talk to The Associated Press via phone for the release of his new album, "It Just Comes Natural," when the questions began, the famously taciturn singer was true to form.
What made you want to record the first single, "Give It Away"? "It's a little different. It's one of the neatest singles I've had out in a while, I think."
Why is it different? "There's a lot of talking in the song, and it's different in that respect. It's a real cool-written song about a relationship breaking up."
But soon Strait warmed up and got on a roll and even, flashing a humble, almost self-deprecating sense of humor. If he dwells on his 25 years of hits or his November induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he doesn't show it.
"Twenty-five years in this business is a long time, but it doesn't seem that long to me — until I look in the mirror," he said, laughing a little.
The new album, released this week, is classic Strait — a blend of honky tonk, Western swing and barroom ballads delivered in his meaty baritone. He's pretty much followed course since his debut album "Strait Country."
Yet while many of his contemporaries have faded, he remains a superstar. "Give It Away," an old-school country song with spoken-word sections, fiddle and twangy guitars, became his 53rd No. 1 single last month.
Strait, 54, says it all begins with a melody.
"It's hard to put my finger on one thing and say, 'This is what I'm looking for in a song.' I don't know exactly what it is. But when it strikes me, I know I want to go into the studio and cut it," he said.
He worked again with longtime co-producer Tony Brown, but this time they recorded a long way from Nashville or even Texas, holing up in a tiny studio in Key West, Florida. He got the idea while recording with Jimmy Buffett a few years ago.
"I thought it might be a good idea to try something different," he said. "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 son of a junior high math teacher, the Texas-born Strait started playing in rock bands in high school, but switched to country while singing in an Army band (he enlisted in 1971 and served four years). He was heavily influenced by the Western swing of Bob Wills and the honky tonk of Merle Haggard and George Jones.
He came to Nashville in 1981, while country music was in the throes of a pop movement, and along with Ricky Skaggs and Reba McEntire was heralded as a neo-traditionalist reviving country's past.
But just as he was ascending to superstardom, his 13-year-old daughter, Jenifer, was killed in a car crash in 1986. The family was devastated, and Strait is said to have become a more private man after the accident. To this day, he won't discuss it publicly.
He and his wife, Norma, started a memorial fund in their daughter's name that still contributes to children's charities in and around San Antonio.
"My son got shot right before that," recalled Skaggs, whose then 7-year-old son Andrew survived being shot while riding in the car with his mother.
"We shared a lot of grief in the early days of our careers. It was tough on him, but he's been tough to hang in and continue to play, and I think music has been a great therapeutic thing for him and his family."
Though widely perceived as a staunch traditionalist, Strait acknowledges outside influences in his music. A fan of classic pop crooners Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, he even recorded a duet with Sinatra in 1994. Songs such as his 2003 hit "Cowboys Like Us" have a soaring pop chorus behind the Western imagery.
"There have been songs that certainly couldn't be classified as traditional country," Strait said. "I've always just done the music that I felt comfortable doing, songs that I felt like I could sing and songs that I liked."
In recent years Strait has cut back on his touring schedule, spending more time with his family on his south Texas ranch, where he raises cattle and horses and "everything's got a thorn on it." He and his son, Bubba, compete in team roping contests.
Since learning in August of his pending induction in the Hall of Fame, he's also reflected more on his career.
"To have that happen while I still feel like I'm competitive and successful in the stuff I'm putting out and in the shows we're doing — and while I can still walk up and accept the honor without any help (laughs) — is just amazing to me," Strait said. "Here lately I kind of wake up in the morning and think about that."
Date: Friday, 6 Oct 2006
It's just too easy to say that It Just Comes Natural, the title of George Strait's 29th album, applies to the man himself, but that doesn't mean that it isn't true. Few singers have ever sounded as natural as George Strait.
Throughout his long career, it has never seemed like he's had to work hard at his music - not in its performance, not in the songs he chooses to sing, nor in the records he makes. Over the course of 25 years he's not released one bad album and 2006's It Just Comes Natural keeps country music's longest winning streak rolling. It holds no surprises apart from its sheer strength: at 15 songs, it's a little longer than some of his recent records, yet it feels lean, largely because there isn't a bad song here. As usual, he has an expert ear for material -- whether it's reviving Guy Clark's classic "Texas Cookin'," finding Trent Tomlinson's slow heart-broken blues "Why Can't I Leave Her Alone" or recording the absolutely terrific, slyly funny break-up song "Give It Away" that kicks off the album and gave Strait his annual number one country hit - and while he may not stretch himself to much, it's hard to think of another singer that knows his strengths so well that it never seems like he's trying; it doesn't seem like he finds songs, it seems like the songs come to him. He and his band have a similarly assured performance, mining the heartbreak in ballads like "I Ain't Her Cowboy Anymore" while kicking into gear on uptempo numbers like "One Foot in Front of the Other." But what might be most impressive about Strait and his band and how they come across as compelling even when they seem relaxed and off-the-cuff as they do many times on It Just Comes Natural, including the lazy, Tex-Mex-tinged "Come On Joe," the laid-back "Wrapped" or the title track itself, where they do indeed sound natural.
After all this time and all these good records, it's hard to see another good George Strait album as an event, but in a way it is: few other artists have been as good for as long as he has, and that's something to celebrate, particularly when the records are as good as this one is.
~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
