George's recording style is '˜Strait' up

The compilation, exclusively released through the Walmart chain of stores in the United States, spans George’s singing career from 1996 to 2016, with 56 tracks that feature 36 hit singles and 26 No 1s, including his latest single Goin’ Going’ Gone, plus two new Strait originals Kicked Outta Country and You Gotta Go Through Hell.

Pre-order packages include a silver-plated belt buckle identical to the album’s cover. The collector’s pack includes a limited-edition buckle that comes in an autographed craft wooden box for display.

Other Strait compilations include 2004’s multi-platinum 50 No 1s and 2007’s gold-selling 22 More Hits.

George and his Hole in the Wall band released the package in a honky tonk and Texas dance hall on Wednesday night. He personally hand-picked the songs that comprise the new collection.

He confirms: “Going back through all the songs for this box set does bring back a lot of old memories. A lot of them we considered for radio singles and, for whatever reason, we just picked something else. It was not that hard to pick them as so many that are my favourites.”

George spends most of his year at his expansive Texas ranch, but, earlier this month, he turned up at the Country Music Association awards evening in Nashville and joined another country icon Alan Jackson in a performance of their hit numbers.

Strait and Jackson have been named CMA ‘Entertainer of the Year’ three times each.

George Strait has been one of the most influential and popular recording artistes of all time in any musical genre.

He falls into the neo-traditionalist country style, cowboy look, and was highly successful in bringing country music back to its roots and away from the pop/country era in the 1980s.

Strait has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music performers of all time. His certifications include 13 multi-platinum, 33 platinum, and 38 gold albums. His best-selling album is Pure Country (1992), which sold six million.

* WILLIE NELSON has had to postpone several shows in the past week due to illness, the latest one in Texas last Sunday.

No details of a specific illness were given, but promoters say the performance would be rescheduled and advised those with tickets to hang onto them.

The ‘Little Texan’, who recently released a Ray Price tribute album For the Good Times, still has an exhaustive touring schedule which, for him, at 83, must be taxing.

In 2015, Willie, who has a huge fan base in Northern Ireland, revealed that he had undergone stem-cell surgery in relation to lung issues he has dealt with for most of his life. He cancelled shows around that time as well, but didn’t reveal the reason until later.

Hopefully, Willie’ illness is not serious and he will soon get back on the road again.

* US Singer-songwriter HOLLY DUNN, best known for her 1986 tribute Daddy’s Hands died on Tuesday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from cancer, aged just 59. Daddy’s Hands, which Holly wrote and recorded on MTM Records, led to her winning the Country Music Association’s Horizon up-and-coming ward in 1987. She was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 1989. Holly’s other hit tracks were Playing For Keeps and I Am Who I Am.