George Strait Shares Details of New Album “Honky Tonk Time Machine”
George Strait dropped some juicy hints to us in December about a new record on the way called Honky Tonk Time Machine, and now we have another new song, all all the rest of the details for the record. Set to be released on March 29th via MCA Nashville, the 13-track album will include 12 originals, a cover of Johnny Paycheck’s classic “Old Violin,” and feature Austin, TX’s legendary and always-endangered honky tonk landmark The Broken Spoke on the cover.
As customary with a George Strait album, songwriter Dean Dillon plays heavy in the credits, as does George Strait’s son Bubba. The songwriter pairing of Jim Lauderdale and Odie Blackmon also get a cut on the new record. So does Lori McKenna, with Luke Laird and Barry Dean on the new single just released, “God and Country Music.” (listen below)
With little prospect for radio play, George Strait appears to just be doing what he wants to do on Honky Tonk Time Machine, which is traveling back in time to when country was country. Covering Johnny Paycheck, along with paying tribute to Willie Nelson in the previously-heard “Sing One With Willie” shows, this record will have strong ties to the past.
“I’m really excited to have some new music coming out,” shares Strait. “It’s been about two years since I’ve released a record. 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.”
Honky Tonk Time Machine Track List:
1. “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
2. “Two More Wishes”
Written by Jim Lauderdale and Odie Blackmon
3. “Some Nights”
Written by Bubba Strait, Brice Long and Phillip White
4. “God and Country Music” (with Harvey Strait)
Written by Luke Laird, Barry Dean and Lori McKenna
5. “Blue Water”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
6. “Sometimes Love”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
7. “Código”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
8. “Old Violin”
Written by Johnny Paycheck
9. “Take Me Away”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
10. “The Weight of the Badge”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
11. “Honky Tonk Time Machine”
Written by Bubba Strait, Brice Long and Bart Butler
12. “What Goes Up”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Jeff Hyde
13. “Sing One with Willie” (featuring Willie Nelson)
Written by George Strait, Willie Nelson, Bubba Strait and Buddy Cannon
February 3, 2019 @ 8:56 am
Another album that will resonate with millions of country fans while Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt and Kane Brown are forced down our throats on the radio.
February 3, 2019 @ 9:05 am
Glad to see Old Violin on here, although he’s got some pretty big shoes to fill to match the original.
Despite cropping the cover photo as best they could, they still couldn’t hide the fact that the Broken Spoke is now surrounded by condominium development.
February 3, 2019 @ 11:44 am
Time for a Paycheck revival
February 4, 2019 @ 4:48 am
Watch the documentary Honky Tonk Heaven- The Legend of The Broken Spoke. Wonderful film that tells it all about James White and the Spoke. And yes, they interview the condo developers. Somehow they come across as sincere fans of The Spoke and have a decent explanation about why they built them next door. Yes, it’s still sad but nobody’s talking about tearing down the Spoke yet. It just might live another decade. Let’s hope so.
February 4, 2019 @ 9:56 pm
Thanks for the heads up! I just watched it on Amazon Prime Video – great film.
February 4, 2019 @ 10:14 am
While the original is obviously fantastic, Daryle Singletary’s version is something to behold as well.
March 30, 2019 @ 9:33 am
Austin has become a liberal craphole
February 3, 2019 @ 9:18 am
New Strait Music is always welcome mainstream Nashvegas country radio won’t play it because they suck!
February 3, 2019 @ 9:23 am
I always brace myself before I open your articles, on edge of what negativity might be included. ???? whew!!!!! Ok I’m good now.
February 3, 2019 @ 9:29 am
Can’t wait, George has always been my favorite. It’s bitter sweet that radio doesn’t play him any more. While you don’t hear new music of his on it, he doesn’t have to include songs made for the radio on albums anymore and can just record an album of what he wants
February 3, 2019 @ 9:50 am
I am definitely looking forward to this record! Love the song titles. Great to see a Lori McKenna song on there. Her record The Tree is one of my favorites to listen to. Looking forward to a country record I can add to my normal rotation.
February 3, 2019 @ 10:13 am
Love me some King George. I’m in !!!
February 3, 2019 @ 10:18 am
I rarely buy physical copies of newer albums but I’ll be looking to track down a CD copy of this, I want to support it on the charts as much as I can.
February 3, 2019 @ 10:19 am
Best news. One of the all-time greats. Saw him in retirement tour and as good as always. Only better news would be one from Alan Jackson as well.
February 3, 2019 @ 10:51 am
Country radio don’t want no King George ?
Great,means the pressure is off and George can deliver the album he wants to make.
Hopefully physical sales will get it to no 1 proving yet again country radio does not have a clue.
Not that it makes much of a difference to me in the UK mind you !
February 3, 2019 @ 11:04 am
George Strait is excited.
A lot of people are excited.
I am excited too.
February 3, 2019 @ 11:15 am
“there’s always lost in the found”
Damn straight. Imagine that lyric ever making it into a song on “country radio” today.
Thank you, George!
February 3, 2019 @ 11:17 am
I wonder who produced this album
February 3, 2019 @ 11:37 am
Dean isn’t dead (paragraph 2).
February 3, 2019 @ 12:22 pm
“Old Violin” has been covered too many times. It’s boring now. The over-the-hill C(c)ountry singer trope needs a fresh anthem.
“Codigo” is an unfortunate waste of a cut.
“God And Country Music” is a nice idea, but it should’ve been set to an almost dragging 4/4 shuffle; the arrangement they went with is too modern sounding for the content.
The rest of the titles sound promising.
February 3, 2019 @ 1:01 pm
I’m just curious what people think about George getting so many song writing credits on this album. The one criticism that George has faced throughout his career is that he never was much of a writer, thus he never had many credits to his name.
Now all the sudden, at the age of 60-something, he’s getting credit for the majority of the track listings? Where has all this songwriting prowess been over the last 30 years? The cynical side of me cant help but think that Bubba is throwing him some bones in order to pad the legacy, so to speak.
February 3, 2019 @ 3:11 pm
Could just be a way for him and his son to spend time together and bond. I know they use to team rope but George has said as he gets older he doesnt like to sit a horse as long
February 3, 2019 @ 3:37 pm
He said an interview for his 60th #1 that was the one regret he had about his career, putting his writing pen down early. He went on to say that he was going to start writing for his records from that point on. And if you look back through his last few records his name has appeared more and more as a writer. Regardless of how much he’s writing, in my opinion he doesn’t need to pad his legacy any.
February 3, 2019 @ 5:31 pm
I read in an interview where he stated it was hard to write when he was constantly being pitched songs by the best in the business. Can you imagine the thousands upon thousands of demos he’s listened too. For three decades everyone wanted Strait to cut their songs.
This album has the look/ sound of Twang. Crazy it took ten years to get back that kind of an album.
February 3, 2019 @ 7:46 pm
I want another album like Here For A Good Time. For my money that was the best album George has done since Blue Clear Sky.
March 30, 2019 @ 10:17 am
After 2000 I thought Honkytonkville, Twang, and Here For a Good Time were his best before this. The rest of them were pretty forgettable to me. It Just Comes Natural wasn’t bad but had too much filler. I think Cold Beer Conversation might be the worst album of his career.
February 3, 2019 @ 10:27 pm
There are some very interesting points here. My cynical side has been refuted. Thanks.
February 3, 2019 @ 5:27 pm
I listened to “God and Country Music.” I loved hearing the instrumentation with violin and steel guitar! Bring it on George! You’re real country!
February 3, 2019 @ 9:52 pm
Love it. Also, yes to that Broken Spoke cover ❤️
February 3, 2019 @ 10:12 pm
Wowzers, how fortunate we are to have the King of Country deliver us some more down home Texas country music. While all of these new wanna be country artists are to busy trying to figure out country music, they all sound the same . George Strait keeps it simple, keeps it country and keeps it Strait . Fiddles , Steel guitars, the piano and the Ace in the Hole band . All he has to do is lean on his guitar and sing . He delivers time and time again. He has nothing to prove or gain. He loves his loyal fans and his breaking out the pen and paper writing songs with his son has to be heart warming .A love with out end amen. His songs always have good meaning and make sense. So bring it on home because we are all here for a good time. I wish I could pitch you a few of the songs I have written . I know I have some hits if you sing them.
February 4, 2019 @ 3:06 am
Humane american idol. Living icon. Good ol down home feet stompin or easy drifting across the room or 2steppin boogie. Mr. Strait always delivers. His lovely music just makes me tiptoe thru his guitar strings in another dimension. Just a groovy musician who loves us as much as we love him. Jam on…and thank you george. U give your fans so much pleadure!
February 4, 2019 @ 9:47 am
Day one buy, here, just like he has been for me for the last 20-plus years.
February 4, 2019 @ 10:40 am
So excited for this album. I will buy the physical one because I always like to have them by my favorite singers. Just like books, I like to hold them when I read. Being from San Antonio our stations still play his old music quite often. They might actually play this but I doubt it. Most of the time they lose their minds over Dan and Shaw, Jason Aldean and Sam Hunt.
February 4, 2019 @ 4:59 pm
According to access.com, he’s sending Every Little Honky Tonk Bar to radio in 2 weeks
March 9, 2019 @ 10:19 pm
They are playing it here.
February 4, 2019 @ 5:20 pm
Pre-ordered the cd. Turn the players loose, George!
February 5, 2019 @ 10:51 am
I’m really enjoying the two singles released so far, much more so than anything from his two previous studio albums which seemed over-produced and too heavy on the drums. Here’s hoping for a great album. It certainly has a fantastic name.
February 10, 2019 @ 10:04 am
There was a time I bought every George Strait album; then his song choices kind of went downhill. So glad to see writers like Dean Dillon and Jim Lauderdale included on this one. Looks like one I will buy!