George Strait to Launch Ace in the Hole Radio
George Strait is getting his own SiriusXM radio channel, at least for a limited time. And for a limited time, you can listen to it for free as the satellite radio provider extends a current promotion allowing anyone to listen free of charge through their app.
Called Ace in the Hole Radio after the iconic Country Music Hall of Famer’s touring band, the channel will feature personal insights and stories from George Strait himself, along with plenty of George Strait music including his 60 #1 hits. The channel will launch May 1st at 9 a.m., and will be available on the SiriusXM app in the Country category. The app is currently free with no obligations or need for credit card until May 31st.
Other artists who will have dedicated channels as part of the promotion include David Bowie, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Prince, and The Rolling Stones. They join artists with permanent SiriusXM channels such as The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, and Frank Sinatra.
“It’s like catching lightning in a bottle for SiriusXM to be able to offer authorized channels from these iconic artists, not only to our subscribers, but at a time when our app is free to everyone,” says SiriusXM president Scott Greenstein. “These channels, combined with our already incredible set of artist-dedicated channels, makes SiriusXM the ultimate audio destination to bring fans closer to the artists they love, and at a time when people can use some great music.”
Anyone who is not already a SiriusXM subscriber can download the SiriusXM app or go to SiriusXM.com/streamfree, and start listening free of charge. The SiriusXM app is available on mobile phones, tablets, and computers, as well as on a wide variety of connected devices in the home including smart TVs, devices with Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers, and more.
April 30, 2020 @ 7:43 am
I hope it’s not a total toilet station like the Garth channel is.
April 30, 2020 @ 12:24 pm
Jeff,
It shouldn’t be. The reason why Garth’s channel is a toilet station is because he is. Strait will make the channel good because Strait is good.
April 30, 2020 @ 11:35 pm
Beautiful explanation, Wayne!! Can’t we all just live in Wayne’s world?
April 30, 2020 @ 7:17 pm
You mean Ass in the Hole Radio?
April 30, 2020 @ 8:33 am
If you ain’t lovin’ grainy sound (you ain’t subscribin’)
April 30, 2020 @ 12:24 pm
I saw this and despite being a Strait fan, I can’t say this excites me. I feel like besides Bob Wills and Asleep at the Wheel, Strait listens to crappy, country music or at least will pander to the mainstream. What leads us to believe he listens to good or interesting music? He took Asleep at the Wheel out on the road a bunch of times. He’s talked and covered Lefty and Bob Wills. He’s friends with Alan Jackson. Besides that ????
None of these artists stations have much personality. They want to include everyone and not offend anyone. They are all just down the middle. The Garth Brooks station is absolutely garbage. The Tom Petty one is okay only because it plays obscure Petty tracks occasionally.
Ultimately, it will be Strait in name with some DJ picking popular music for ratings purposes. I’ll give it a listen, but have zero expectations.
April 30, 2020 @ 4:50 pm
With a large catalog (which Strait obviously has–hits and deep tracks) and a temporary run (that’s what “limited time” means), George Strait can easily sustain a channel on his works alone–we’re talking over 40 years of music.
But I’m not sure I get your complaint–I’d like to hear some Asleep at the Wheel on this station, and I’d love to hear tunes from the post-Bob Wills honky-tonk milieu that Strait got his start in. As long as you steer clear of Alan Jackson’s overplayed songs, I have no problem if they play some of his stuff. I am quite certain there will be no Sam Hunt or Florida-Georgia Line on this channel (how on earth would they even justify that)…so I’m not sure I get your objection. And how would you know if Strait listens to “crappy country music”–unless you’re hanging with him on the weekends, that’s a presumptuous judgement to make.
May 1, 2020 @ 6:19 am
Listening today. So far 6 hits. If it’s just Strait songs that good (although I can easily hit shuffle and get more variety). Strait is a corporation and I didn’t want some brand pushing shitty music.
May 1, 2020 @ 8:10 am
I get that–and to be honest, I’ll be a bit disappointed if its *just* hits.
May 4, 2020 @ 8:20 am
What channel is it on?
May 4, 2020 @ 9:04 am
779
May 4, 2020 @ 10:21 am
Thank you, no wonder why I couldn’t find it, mine doesn’t go that high 🙁 I only had the preview for it on the prime country channel. Ugh
April 30, 2020 @ 9:44 pm
It’s definitely gonna massively flop now that you have expressed no interest.
April 30, 2020 @ 5:38 pm
I agree JG, one thing about George is he is full of class, and I doubt he’d let a radio station bearing his name play music that pretty much spits in the face of his music and everyone who influenced him.
April 30, 2020 @ 7:20 pm
Why not George?! He has so many years of awesome country music..I’m glad they r doin this..& I will certainly listen & spread the word. Congrats To George, classy & respected????
April 30, 2020 @ 7:32 pm
Sorry to be somewhat negative, but I have a running joke with my fellow guitar-picking friends every time George Strait appears on television. We all bet how many times he will actually strum the guitar during each song. I have rarely seen anyone use a guitar as merely a prop more than George does. (By the way, the winning bet nearly always is “seven.”)
May 1, 2020 @ 1:19 am
I got lucky enough to play in his golf outings last year it was the first time I ever met the man it was a three day event with a private concert on last day all I can say he seems like a great guy to me down to earth totally normal not full of himself unbelievable experience
May 1, 2020 @ 4:48 am
I can’t wait, KING GEORGE for PRESIDENT!!
May 1, 2020 @ 6:00 am
I was actually wondering why he didn’t already have one. He seems like a good fit for Sirius. I don’t use Sirius that often, but I like Dwight Yoakam’s channel a lot. I’ll definitely give this one a listen this weekend.
May 1, 2020 @ 6:10 pm
George Straight has been my favorite country singer for so many years. If I’ve had a bad day, not feeling well, or so happy I could cry, George Straight can always hit my heart and soul with his music. Hope he gets his own channel permanently!!
May 1, 2020 @ 8:53 am
At this point, SiriusXM has become an engima. The satellite radio is their bread and butter, but the high prices and lack of music variety on each station (e.g., Yacht Rock Radio playing the same songs at least four times a day) lead to most people never renewing it after a trial. It’s understandable why they are pushing the app because it seems to have 10x the offerings of its satellite counterpart, but what is it really offering that Spotify and Pandora aren’t already delivering for free with ads? Plus, wasn’t an original point of SiriusXM the easy in-car listening like AM and FM instead of clunky use-your-Bluetooth, use-your-data, use-the-app listening? Finally, perhaps there are physical limitations to SiriusXM being able to offer its app lineup on its in-car systems, but it seems perplexing that their greatest variety is app-exclusive and not available through the traditional in-car means. Hopefully, the George Strait channel will be a success and perhaps even a permanent fixture, but being app-exclusive won’t draw people into paying for it.
May 1, 2020 @ 4:45 pm
WHAT CHANNEL?
May 1, 2020 @ 10:06 pm
Prime country
July 6, 2021 @ 2:44 pm
Wow! And another wow….George Strait is the best. His voice is smooth as butter. Glad he is on Sirius radio. Listening all day long.
April 2, 2024 @ 4:11 am
Yeah finally! Luv Dwight Yoakum’s Channel but I’m thinking George Strait will sure give him a run for the money ????!