George Strait to Get Hollywood Star, Along with … Keith Urban?!?
Last week, it was announced that George Strait would be one of 15 recipients in the 2025 class to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For the unaware, this is where celebrities from all walks of life get a star and (often) their hand prints on a sidewalk in Hollywood, cementing their legacy, so to speak. Though TV and film is what the Hollywood Walk is most centered around, plenty of musicians have stars too, including Hank Williams. Strait does have some acting credits, including the 1992 film Pure Country.
Not that “King” George needs this accolade to in anyway justify his contributions to American culture, but it is cool to see, and will be one of the very many resume points Strait has amassed over the years. Stars have to submit an application to be considered, but otherwise the criteria are, “Professional achievement, longevity in the category of five years or more, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the celebrity will attend the dedication ceremony if selected.”
Other musical inductees this year include Prince, The B-52s, Green Day, The Isley Brothers, WAR, Depeche Mode, Busta Rhymes, and … Keith Urban? Sure, perhaps Urban is enough of a “star” in someone’s universe to get Hollywood Walk of Fame recognition at some point. But putting such powerhouse musicians such as Strait, Prince, and The Isley Brothers in with Urban who’s done nothing but shape shift and sell out to stay relevant for the last many years feels like a reduction of the honor for the other musical greats.
If you want to get Keith Urban on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, wait until a year after Strait gets his or something. The organizers of this make it seem like Strait and Urban are equals. It just sort of cheapens the whole thing. The last great thing Urban did was wear a Sturgill Simpson T-shirt on American Idol.
Other country stars who have Hollywood Walk of Fame stars include Gene Autry, who actually has five of them from his contributions to various disciplines. Dolly Parton has two for the same reason. Roy Acuff got his star in 1960. Garth Brooks, Clint Black, and Brooks & Dunn all have stars. Alabama, Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and John Denver also have deserved Hollywood stars. Willie Nelson doesn’t, but remember, you have to submit an application to get acknowledged, so it’s not necessarily his fault.
Somehow, Rascal Flatts got a Hollywood Star in 2012. Now Rascal Flatts is defunct, and sort of a laughing stock of country. This is one of the reasons perhaps the committee should be more selective.
Of course there is probably a lot of politicking behind-the-scenes on who gets selected. Since Keith Urban’s wife Nicole Kidman is on the Walk of Fame and a Hollywood heavyweight, it probably helped. The stars also have to pay a cool $40,000 if they’re selected to help keep the Hollywood Walk maintained, etc.
June 30, 2024 @ 8:56 am
They have to give Willie a star for his portrayal of Uncle Jesse as a pot-smoking hippie!
June 30, 2024 @ 1:11 pm
That movie was a travesty. (And I loved the Jackass stuff, and the American Pie movies and also Willie Nelson. They did not understand the appeal of the show ) I LOVED Dukes of Hazzard growing up and it was a big reason why I am really into country music. And the music during the chase scenes was amazing especially with Robbie Turner and Jay Dee Maness on steel (not just Ralph Mooney).
June 30, 2024 @ 2:47 pm
I was being facetious. The movie was a disgrace and Burt and Willie should have known better. But Willie sells out a lot, especially for pot.
The Dukes is a great TV series. It deserved better.
June 30, 2024 @ 5:19 pm
Yeah I caught that. Still added my thoughts 🙂
July 1, 2024 @ 3:35 am
Is Willie still in hock to the IRS?
July 1, 2024 @ 7:20 am
That was 40 years ago.
June 30, 2024 @ 10:22 am
So you have to apply for it, then pay $40,000 to maintain it.
Strange…..
June 30, 2024 @ 11:54 am
Why it seem strange. If they gave it out freely without the person applying for it then made them pay for it then it would be weird. By making people apply for it, it makes them responsible for it.
June 30, 2024 @ 1:35 pm
Seems to much like having to buy your honor. Applying for an award?
If you are selected, it seems like you shouldn’t gave to pay for it. But thats Hollywood I guess….
June 30, 2024 @ 6:17 pm
Well it is buying your honor which i basically pointed out in my reply to the article not your reply. I didnt realize before reading this article that you had to apply for this honor. So i guess if you are going tp be cocky enough to apply for something like this, then paying for upkeep makes sense.
June 30, 2024 @ 12:03 pm
I didnt know that people had to apply for these, kind of takes the lustre out to me anyways. I know theres a selection process so theres still some honor to it. But to me takes a lot of hubris i think the word is to apply for something like this. Now maybe georges manager did this but im sure george signed off on it. So if willie isnt there because he hasnt applied, then lots of respect to him, not that i didnt respect him already. The fact that green day apllied for it is weird as well given their stances on stuff but oh well.
June 30, 2024 @ 1:07 pm
Not sure if your list of county musicians with stars was meant to be comprehensive, but Reba is also on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
June 30, 2024 @ 1:08 pm
To the non-country fan normies Keith Urban is equal. Also Zach Bryan brought the hawk-tuah girl on stage. What is going on in this world?
June 30, 2024 @ 2:49 pm
Decency was sold down the river.
“What one generation tolerates, the next generation embraces.”
-John Wesley
June 30, 2024 @ 4:40 pm
I had to Google the Hawk Tuah girl to understand the fuss. I wish I had not.
June 30, 2024 @ 5:21 pm
Some of the memes were funny in the first 24 hours but it quickly became beating a dead horse. Men who haven’t been blown since the Clinton admin seem to love the joke.
June 30, 2024 @ 5:35 pm
Not saying I agree with it, but given that Urban is married to Nicole Kidman it does make a certain sense.
I’m a big fan of old Hollywood movies and yet couldn’t care less about the Walk of Fame. I imagine a lot of people who would be interested in it would be interested in seeing a star for the spouse of a movie star.
July 1, 2024 @ 2:50 am
Does Trig realize that Hollywood stars in the music category aren’t exclusive to only country music??
Sure, Urban isn’t really “Country”
But I’d say he’s a decent enough music artist. Great performer & guitar player. His music is also great pop/rock (especially his earlier albums).
If Pop artists like Pharell Williams and Mariah Carey can get a star, why can’t Keith Urban?
July 1, 2024 @ 7:19 am
Probably, since I mentioned Prince and others were getting ones too.
So “decent enough music artist” is now how we judge these kinds of things? The point is by putting them in the same class, it seems to symbolize that Keith Urban is equal to Prince and George Strait. Not sure anyone would argue that, even many Keith Urban fans.
July 1, 2024 @ 2:54 am
Aren’t John Mayer and Keith Urban equals in terms of popularity and talent ??
July 1, 2024 @ 2:56 am
I’m shocked that Strait submitted his name for recognition…
Didn’t think he cared about such things
July 1, 2024 @ 11:09 am
The writer (?) obviously does not have their information correct or their personal bias towards a performer whether they like them or not is in material. The fact is if an individual has met the criteria then that’s all they need to do minimizing someone with the talent and the tremendous music, musical skill that Keith Urban has to a sidenote is not only unjustified but petty and sounds like a jealous little schoolgirl
July 1, 2024 @ 5:04 pm
Sorry Trig, but this seems like sour grapes.
It’s called the Hollywood Walk of FAME. I may not love all of Urban’s music, but he’s a multi-Grammy winner and two time CMA Entertainer of the Year. He’s had a bunch of hits and he’s an accomplished musician and by all accounts, is a fantastic live performer. Is he equal to the caliber of Strait in terms of COUNTRY music? Of course not! But is he famous enough to warrant a place on the Walk of Fame? Yes! Why can’t both be selected? Not quite sure I see the issue here.
July 1, 2024 @ 5:24 pm
I’m so proud for you GEORGE, MY COWBOY ???? ALWAYS!
July 3, 2024 @ 12:44 pm
George Strait is a Texan and will always be. That is one of the main reasons George Strait is not a member of the Grand Ole Opry and has no desire to be a member of any Hollywood Star of Fame; especially when George Strait did not make an application for no such notoriety. In his new album: “Cowboys and Dreamers” Mr. Strait dedicates the song: “To the Moon” to His wife, Norma, of 25 years which differentiates between Hollywood movies and old Western movies with “Gus”. Obviously, the writer of this article knows nothing about George Strait and Texans. “Don’t mess with Texas” as George Strait would say.
July 6, 2024 @ 6:41 pm
They pay for those, it’s not a big deal that they both are in the same group. Nobody is going to think about it for long except that they exist.
July 10, 2024 @ 7:24 pm
You all need to know how one gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Grime. The artist’s management calls the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Says they would like for their client to get a star. Chamber says, “ Sure. You got $250 for the application and $75,000 for the installation and maintenance? Yeah? OK then! Here’s your star!” Doesn’t mean shit. It just for the tourists and artist publicity.