With almost four decades as a country music artist, George Strait doesn’t get to experience many career firsts anymore. But with his upcoming Honky Tonk Time Machine record, the Texan did get to try something for the first time – including his 6-year-old grandson, Harvey, on one of the tracks from the record.
“When I recorded this record, we did it in Key West and I had my grandson down there with me,” Strait recalled to his record label, Universal Music Group. “We went every day to the studio, and so he’d have to get his charts and lyrics and follow along with everybody else. But we ended up putting him on the song ‘God and Country Music,’ and he’s there on the end of it. It’s the first time I’ve ever got to sing with my grandson; maybe it’s the first of many.”
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Strait might be a seasoned pro in the studio, but the little boy wasn’t quite as experienced – not that Strait objected.
“”It took us several takes,” Strait conceded. “I went in there and I kind of did it with him, and then I would kind of back out and leave him, and so that’s how it worked out. But he was all for it. He was all about doing it. He got really involved in that record. For six years old [laughs], that’s pretty good.”
The King of Country co-wrote eight of the 13 tracks on Honky Tonk Time Machine, writing several with his son, Bubba Strait, and longtime producer, Dean Dillon, one with Jeff Hyde, and one with the iconic Willie Nelson.
“It’s been about two years since I’ve released a record,” Strait said in an earlier report. “It was great writing with Bubba and Dean again and creating such a beautiful song with Bubba and Jeff Hyde. Also, it was a very special thing for me to be able to write and sing one with the legend Willie Nelson. I hope everyone enjoys listening to Honky Tonk Time Machine as much as I enjoyed making it.”
No word yet what Strait will sing at the upcoming 2019 ACM Awards, but he is slated to take the stage with Miranda Lambert during the live televised broadcast. The show will air live form Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Honky Tonk Time Machine will be released on Friday, March 29. Order the record at his official website.
Photo Credit: Getty images/Michael Loccisano
