George Strait has been on the country music scene since the mid-80s, and he’s still making great music. The Country Music Hall of Famer, who has been nominated at the CMA Awards a record 83 times, picked up his first – and second – CMA Award in 1985. He won Male Vocalist of the Year, as well as Album of the Year for Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind. He also took home his first Entertainer of the Year award in 1989. In 2013, he won his third Entertainer of the Year Award, tying Alabama and Alan Jackson with three. With that victory, he’s the only artist to win Entertainer in three different decades.
The CMA Awards are pretty special to the Texas native. “I’ve been a part of the CMA for almost 50 years. [laughs] So, I mean I feel a real attachment there because I have been – it’s been a huge part of my career. They’ve been so good to me and over the years I’ve won more awards there than I deserve I’m sure, but I’ll take them,” says George. “But it’s just it’s hard to believe it’s been 50 years. It really is. It’s tough for me to believe it’s been 50 years because time has gone by so fast. But you watch those shows back in the day when you’re just sitting around trying to – and you’re just dreaming of being on that stage. You’re dreaming of getting one of those nominations. You’re just all these things, if I could just get there just once. I just want to go. And then you finally get nominated, and it’s just the most incredible feeling in the world.”
With the CMA Awards celebrating 50 years, George, among many other CMA winners, will perform during the show, and he’s one of the artists featured in the all-star “Forever Country” single created specifically to celebrate the CMAs 50th anniversary.
The 50th Annual CMA Awards will broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday (November 2nd) at 8pm ET on ABC.
Audio / George Strait recalls his first CMA Entertainer win in 1989.
DownloadGeorge Strait (1st CMA Entertainer) OC: …even better. :38
“Yeah, when I first won the Entertainer of the Year, I guess it was ’89 I was ecstatic and shocked and just all of the emotions you can imagine were just like I was so happy I could hardly stand it. I think I had been nominated a few times but I just never had gotten it and was thinking maybe I won’t get it. Maybe it’s not meant to be. And I’m pretty sure it was Barbara Mandrell that gave me the award that night and I was a huge fan of hers too. She’s such a sweet lady. And anyway, so that made it even better.”
Audio / George Strait talks about winning the CMA Male Vocalist Award for the first time in 1985. He also picked up a trophy for Album of the Year for Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind.
DownloadGeorge Strait (CMA Male Vocalist 1985) OC: …was fun. :34
“It’s always a surprise to win. I don’t care what you’re up for, me, anyway, I don’t think I’m ever going to win. Male Vocalist, it was a surprise, especially back then. That’s a pretty special award to win.”
Audio / George Strait talks about realizing his dream of winning CMA Awards.
DownloadGeorge Strait (CMA Awards) OC: …in the world. 1:03
“I’ve been a part of the CMA for almost 50 years. [laughs] So, I mean I feel a real attachment there because I have been – it’s been a huge part of my career. They’ve been so good to me and over the years I’ve won more awards there than I deserve I’m sure but I’ll take them. But it’s just it’s hard to believe it’s been 50 years. It really is. It’s tough for me to believe it’s been 50 years because time has gone by so fast. But you watch those shows back in the day when you’re just sitting around trying to – and you’re just dreaming of being on that stage. You’re dreaming of getting one of those nominations. You’re just all these things if I could just get there just once. I just want to go. And then you finally get nominated, and it’s just the most incredible feeling in the world.”
Audio / George Strait says his most special CMA Award is his Entertainer of the Year win in 2013.
DownloadGeorge Strait (most special CMA Award) OC: …special. :45
“Well, they’re all really special for sure, but I think the one that I s most special now that sticks out in my mind is when I won Entertainer of the Year last time, which I think was in 2013. I’d been nominated for a lot of years there you know, and I’d won it a couple of times, but I figured those days were over. I actually told the record company, those days, it’s not gonna come around for me again, so when it happened it was really, really special. A lot of people did a lot of hard work and promoting…me rather and so I’ve got a lot of people to thank for that, but it’s really special.”
