9 Things to Know About George Strait

George Strait turns 68 on May 18, and the country legend has plenty to celebrate. Known for bringing traditional country sound back to the forefront during the country-pop boom of the ’80s, Strait quickly established a large fan base and achieved major success.

Strait released his first single in 1981, putting him on the trajectory to becoming one of the biggest stars in the genre. Since then, he has sold over 100 million records worldwide, earned 60 number one hits and won numerous awards, including CMA Entertainer of the Year three times. He has also been nominated for more CMA and ACM awards than any other artist. In 2019, he released his new album Honky Tonk Time Machine and played several major shows before postponing multiple dates to 2021 due to the coronavirus.

Read on for a few facts you might not have known about one of country music’s greatest acts.

He was raised by his father in Texas

When Strait was in the fourth grade, his parents divorced and his mother moved away with his sister, Pency. Strait was then raised by his father, junior high school mathematics teacher John Byron Strait Sr., as was his brother, John Jr. “He taught math, and on weekends and summers, we’d head to our ranch,” Strait told USA Today in 2007. “We listened to mostly news and the farmer’s report.”

He cites the Beatles as one of his early musical influences

While the singer is known as the King of Country, he was influenced by the Beatles when he was young, as the British supergroup was in their heydey at the time Strait was beginning to get into music. He later switched to country music after listening to singers like Hank Williams and George Jones.

His daughter, Jenifer, was killed in a car accident when she was 13

Strait’s first child, Jenifer, was killed in a car accident in 1986 when she was 13 years old. After the accident, Strait’s family started the Jenifer Lynn Strait Foundation in her honor. The foundation donates to children’s charities in the San Antonio area.

In the 2007 USA Today interview, the notoriously private Strait revealed that his 2005 song “You’ll Be There” makes him think of his late daughter.

“That song hit home for me for obvious reasons,” he said. “I’m a religious person. I honestly believe we will see each other in heaven someday. I wanted to do the song badly. The writer, Cory Mayo, held that song out because he knew I wanted to do it, and he waited until I had the chance. It was kind of him to do that.”

He eloped with his wife, Norma, when he was 19

The couple married in Mexico in 1971, the same year Strait enlisted in the United States Army. While stationed in Hawaii, he played in a U.S. Army-sponsored band called “Rambling Country.”  Jenifer was born in 1972, and Strait and Norma welcomed their son, George Strait Jr., in 1981.

He is part owner of a tequila company

Along with several major artists in country music today, Strait is involved in the alcohol business, having invested in premium-priced tequila Código. The brand was consumed privately by a small group of Mexican families and friends including Strait before becoming publicly available.

“I’m an investor because I believe in the product,” Strait told Fortune. “I think it is the best tequila.”

Strait prefers his tequila straight on the rocks.

Strait had a cameo in the movie ‘The Soldier’

The singer had a cameo in the 1982 movie as himself, though the terrorist action film wasn’t very successful. Ten years later, he starred in Pure Country and sang every song on the soundtrack, which went on to become Strait’s best-selling album, having sold over six million copies. Two sequels to the film were released, though neither has a plot related to the original. Strait appeared as himself in the first sequel.

He started out in a rock and roll garage band

The singer began his foray into music in a garage band while attending Pearsall High School. “It was one that never got out of the garage, you know?” he told Mercury. “It was one of those kinds. We kind of piddled around with some stuff back in my late high school days. And I knew maybe two or three chords on the guitar, so we didn’t get very far.”

He has a degree in agriculture from Southwest Texas State University

After being honorably discharged from the Army, Strait attended college and graduated with a degree in agriculture from Southwest Texas State University. While in college, he formed a band called Ace in the Hole Band that became popular in the area. 

“Live music is very important in Texas,” he told USA Today. “It was good for me to go through that. I may not have been ready to play big arenas without that experience. Hell, I still get nervous about performing.”

His favorite hangover cure is a tripe soup called menudo

Speaking to The Daily Beast in 2016, Strait revealed his love for menudo as a hangover cure. “It’s tripe soup,” he shared. “It’s very, very tasty. When I happen to have the occasional hangover, which I try not do, if I can get some menudo that’s what I get.”

He added that while he doesn’t drink often, he and his band will have a shot before they head out for the encore of a show, sharing, “For years, it’s kind of been a tradition for me and the band, after the show before we go back out for an encore, we’ll celebrate with a shot of tequila and then we’ll go back out for the encore.”