George Strait Drops Details, Debut Song from New Album

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photo: Peggy Sirota

George Strait has finally dropped the details and a debut song from his first album in five years, Cowboys and Dreamers due out September 6th. And as one of the premier living legends in country music, the album is certainly to be anticipated.

Since Strait last released an album, we’ve seen a dramatic shift in the direction of country music. In 2019 when Honky Tonk Time Machine came out, country music was still trying to extricate itself from the Bro-Country era. Now we have a whole host of new and up-and-coming traditional country artists directly inspired by Strait breathing new life into the genre. All the more reason for Strait to break his semi-retirement and release new music himself.

The release also comes after a tumultuous time in the George Strait camp with the recent loss of three individuals who were super close to Strait and integral to his team.

“I’m dedicating this record to my longtime manager and friend Erv Woolsey and my longtime fiddle player and friend Gene Elders (a player on four of these tracks), who we lost on the same day, March 20, 2024, as well as my longtime friend and road manager Tom Foote, who we lost on April 29, 2024,” says Strait. “I will never forget all of the good times we had together. May they rest in peace with our Lord Jesus Christ.”


Speaking of those gone too soon, this includes songwriter, performer, and producer Keith Gattis, who died in a tragic tractor accident in 2023. Strait was close Gattis, and attended a tribute show to the late songwriter later that year. Now Strait has chosen to include not one, not two, but three Keith Gattis songs on the new album, including a song Gattis wrote with Guy Clark.

Gattis joins other notable songwriters including Chris Stapleton, Kendell Marvel, Jessie Jo Dillon, and of course long-time Strait contributors Dean Dillon and Jim Lauderdale. Son Bubba Strait also gets a few co-writes, as does George Strait himself. It’s also interesting to see Strait chooses to cover “Waymore Blues” by Waylon Jennings.

A couple of the new songs have already been premiered live, including “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame” featuring Chris Stapleton, and the lead single from the album “MIA Down in MIA,” which gives you Jimmy Buffett/Keith Whitley vibes. Though on the new country music Dewey Decimal System, you might want to slot the new song at #510 (Traditional Country) simply because it’s Strait, it’s actually the perfect candidate for the Buffett-inspired subgenre #568, Gulf & Western.

Cowboys & Dreamers is now available for pre-save/pre-order.

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TRACK LIST:

  1. Three Drinks Behind (Benjamin Gaither, Jeff Silvey and Kim Williams)
  2. Cowboys And Dreamers (Jessie Jo Dillon, Keith Gattis and Bubba Strait)
  3. To The Moon (Marty Brown and Steve Clark)
  4. MIA Down in MIA (Adam Craig and Dean Dillon)
  5. Wish I Could Say (Keith Gattis)
  6. Calling From The Car (Bobby Braddock)
  7. People Get Hurt Sometimes (Jim Lauderdale, Kendell Marvel and Jimmy Ritchey)
  8. Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame ft. Chris Stapleton (Chris Stapleton, Jameson Clark and Timothy James)
  9. The Little Things (George Strait, Monty Criswell and Bubba Strait)
  10. The Book (George Strait, Dean Dillon, Jessie Jo Dillon and Bubba Strait)
  11. Rent (Guy Clark and Keith Gattis)
  12. Waymore’s Blues (Curtis Buck and Waylon Jennings)
  13. The Journey Of Your Life (Ronnie Bowman and Troy Jones)

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