Yes, George Strait Is Receiving a Songwriter Award. And He Deserves It
You won’t find many country music fans who have a discouraging word to share about “King” George Strait. But the one point of contention some have brought up in rebuttal of Strait’s greatness over the years has been that he doesn’t write his own songs. This opinion deserves a little context of course. It’s certainly true that Strait has not been very prolific as a songwriter in his career. But he has written more than what he tends to get credit for. “I Can’t See Texas From Here” is one of the best songs from his second album Strait From The Heart, and was written by Strait himself. On his latest record, the #1 Honky Tonk Time Machine, George co-wrote eight of the album’s tracks.
But less face it, George Strait is not a songwriter in the normal sense, and even less so than some other country legends known for penning only a few of their hits like George Jones, Tammy Wynette, or Waylon Jennings. Huge artists like Alan Jackson and Merle Haggard who wrote most of their own material are the exception, not the rule.
But that doesn’t mean that George Strait hasn’t contributed incredibly to the songwriting community, and that’s what the naysayers overlook when railing on Strait for simply being a performer. Without George Strait, critically-important songwriters to country music such as Dean Dillon and Jim Lauderdale may have never had careers, or been able to focus on the craft of songwriting like they did, penning some of the genre’s most legendary tunes. Strait’s talent was knowing a good song when he heard one, and then singing the hell out of it like only he could. The amount of behind-the-scenes songwriters and independent performers who owe the roof over their heads to George Strait number in the dozens.
That is why the The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has decided to honor George Strait this year. He will receive the NSAI’s 2019 President’s Keystone Award, in “recognition of his contributions toward the betterment of all songwriters.”
“George Strait is the perfect recipient of the NSAI President’s Keystone Award,” says NSAI President Steve Bogard. “The Keystone is the ‘central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together.’ His delivery of a great melody and that perfect phrasing that communicates the emotion in a lyric is the ultimate last step in bringing so many incredible records to his fans. We’re honored he’ll be with us.”
George Strait will receive the award the Nashville Songwriter Awards on September 17 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Loretta Lynn will also be honored with the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the American songbook and inspiring the careers of others. Set to perform on the night are George Strait songwriter Dean Dillon, Reba McEntire, Dierks Bentley, Chris Janson, Lee Brice, David Lee Murphy, Michael Ray, and (gulp) Sam Hunt (perhaps part of his move to traditional country?).
Artists who write their own iconic songs will always have that additional level of prestige and respect from fans. But picking the best songs and performing the definitive rendition is an art to itself, and one arguably nobody has done better in country music history than George Strait.
July 17, 2019 @ 10:27 am
George Strait and Alison Krauss are my two favorite artists ever, and interestingly, they both aren’t really songwriters. While writing and singing your own material is a very cool thing, it’s also just as rewarding for me as a listener, hearing a singer who can make any song their own, and Strait and Krauss are exceptionally gifted when it comes to this. I’m happy he’s getting this honor. I’ve really enjoyed the few songs he has written during his career. Honky Tonk Time Machine is an amazing album through-and-through.
July 18, 2019 @ 7:27 am
I find it funny when people who are huge fellow George Strait fans like me knock on Jason Aldean because he does not write all of his own music.
I like what it says in this article.
People who write most of their own music like Haggard and Alan Jackson are the EXCEPTION, not the rule.
July 17, 2019 @ 10:31 am
Love George. A question. When an artist is listed as a co-writer, exactly what does that mean in the context of contribution? I know there is no one answer. But how much does a “co-writer” have to contribute to be an actual co-writer?
For example, I know that Carrie Underwear is a co-writer but something tells me she contributes maybe a period or a comma so as to be listed as a writer. I know I am being facetious on that, but that is my gut feeling. As with many other modern artists.
This question and/or assertion does not apply to George. I am asking for opinions in a general sense.
July 17, 2019 @ 11:14 am
Wayne, the story that Glenn Frey tells about “Take it Easy” is that Jackson Brown (his roommate at the time) had most of the song written, but was stuck on one part. Glenn very quickly added “It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me.” Both received equal credit; that’s the way it works. But you could argue that it was worth it, as the song might not have sold at all, or been heard, for that matter, if not for Frey’s contribution.
July 17, 2019 @ 11:29 am
The rule that Nashville songwriter and many other go by is called “Third for a Word.” What that means is that if someone even contributes one word, they get an equal portion of the songwriting credit with any other songwriters involved. There are a few reasons for this. One is every songwriter might have a different story on just how much they contributed. Second, sometimes a single word or short phrase can comprise the “hook” of a song that ties it all together and makes it appealing. Third, it can be used as a commodity. Sometimes big-named artists will choose to cut a song, but only if they can be given a songwriting credit on it. Sometimes these are outright traded. Other times perhaps they did tweak an important lyric and deserve credit.
A very long time ago I wrote an article about all of this:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/big-names-cash-in-on-third-for-a-word-songwriting-rule/
July 18, 2019 @ 3:42 am
Do the musicians who contribute get any credits? In metal it seems like anyone who contributes a riff gets songwriting credit – unless you’re playing with Ozzy in the mid 80s.
July 18, 2019 @ 9:12 am
I believe in country, if someone contributes a melody or important riff, they would still get a songwriting credit. That is why you see many producers also walk away with songwriting credits in country these days. If they tweak on a song, they get a share of the royalties. But as far as the actual musicians playing on the track, they don’t, even if they improvise an important element to the song. I’m sure there’s some exceptions, but I very rarely see musicians get credits, unless they were involved in the actual writing.
June 15, 2020 @ 8:08 pm
Carrie did write some of her songs on her first album !!! And ya that was rude . You don’t know her at all or anything about her so pipe down!! KING GEORGE STRAIT IS THE BOMB SI HAPPY FOR HIM !!!
July 17, 2019 @ 11:36 am
I’m sure Trig will have a lot to offer to this, but my understanding is that it can be pretty minimal, and if the other songwriter agrees to get the artist or other person credit, they can have it.
July 17, 2019 @ 11:37 am
And look at that, he beat me to it. 🙂
July 17, 2019 @ 11:43 am
That’s interesting. Sheds light on it. Thanks.
July 17, 2019 @ 12:06 pm
George basically has 15 co-writes off his last two albums. I don’t think it can be overlooked that his songwriting credits have dramatically increased as his son Bubba has become one of the principal songwriters on his albums. I think there is a possibility that songwriting was not important to George for years and now that his son is doing it, it becomes something that they can do together, which could make the whole process more fun and special at the same time.
July 17, 2019 @ 12:07 pm
I am under the impression that George is pretty involved with these co-writes. He generally writes with his son and Dean Dillon. We know Dean Dillon is talented, Bubba (George’s son) has written good songs, and George has independently written good songs as well (although 35+ years ago.) Dean and Bubba probably do much of the heavy lifting, but I cannot imagine that George just sits there sipping Codigo.
July 17, 2019 @ 12:14 pm
So instead of giving a major honor to an actual songwriter they make up a reason to give another needless award to someone who has already received more praise & accolades than 99.99% of the industry. Very cool!
July 17, 2019 @ 12:47 pm
The Keystone Award clearly states that it is meant to honor “recognition of his contributions toward the betterment of all songwriters” not for songwriting itself. I would argue that (as Trigger did) Strait’s influence has contributed to the “betterment” of MANY songwriters. A lot of struggling songwriters break through ONLY because a big name artist works with them. Strait is an example of this. I see him as very deserving of this award.
July 18, 2019 @ 4:44 pm
Mad someone anit giving Sturgill a verbal blowjob?
July 20, 2019 @ 7:34 am
And he deserves it.
September 3, 2019 @ 3:52 pm
Johnny Russell said the Beatles paid for every house he owned. Ricky Skaggs said Bill Monroe appreciated the “powerful” royalties check he got from Skaggs’ Tribute to Bill Monroe album. I’m sure many songwriters appreciate the gold George brings them. This is just a way to show it.
July 17, 2019 @ 1:03 pm
They make these awards up at NSAI, ASCAP, BMI, Americana Awards, etc. to get people to show up and to make their awards seem more significant in the press. If NSAI only handed out awards to songwriters, not as many people would care. Award shows are just big advertisements.
July 17, 2019 @ 10:55 pm
“Award shows are just big advertisements.”
Of course they are. But if they’re advertising cool music, I’m game.
July 18, 2019 @ 4:19 am
I agree that George has cut great songs… but songwriters have made his career just as much as he has made theirs. Without all of those great songs, where would he be? The quality of the songs he’s written with Dean and Bubba do not stand up against Dean’s other songs and all the great songs George has cut in the past. In fact, I would say his co-writing almost everything these past few albums has hurt him trying to stay on the radio because they are not great songs.
July 18, 2019 @ 6:03 am
“Drinkin’ Man” is a god-tier country song.
September 3, 2019 @ 4:00 pm
Even great songs can be undone by poor singers. Songwriters are a dime a dozen, folks like George Strait or Glenn Campbell come along only a few times in a lifetime. They can take a mediocre song and turn it into a great one.
People often say of great singers that they could sing the phone book and people would buy it. No one says a great writer could write a phone book and people would buy it.
No disrespect for songwriters intended, because the magic really happens when both are doing well. But if the singer doesn’t interpret the song correctly, the best songwriter is out of luck and may not get another chance with the song.
July 17, 2019 @ 1:22 pm
Tbh Michael Ray is a bigger gulp than Sam Hunt
July 17, 2019 @ 2:48 pm
Trig, I’ve always been curious about this. When I was a kid, all of the big bands at the time (The Stones, Journey, AC/DC, Pat Benatar, etc.) all wrote their own music. When I became a fan of country music 10 or so years ago, it surprised me that a lot artists didn’t write their own music. Why do you think the difference exists?
July 17, 2019 @ 11:07 pm
There are a couple of reasons. The first was a company called Acuff/Rose owned originally by Roy Acuff and Fred Rose, which was one of the very first publishing companies for songs. It was based in Nashville. It is still around today, and called SonyATV after Sony purchased the catalog. Song plugging became part of the country music culture from very early on, and still exists today.
The second reason is because in Nashville, producers have always called the shots. This was set up early on by people like like Chet Atkins and Billy Sherrill. And as representatives of the record labels, they believe they can select songs that will be more commercially successful for artist better than the artists themselves can. This is also the reason country artists use session musicians as opposed to their own bands to record. One of the reasons this system persists in country while in rock they call their own shots is because none of the record labels are actually based in Nashville. They’re based in either New York or Los Angeles, meaning you have a layer of managerial bureaucracy in country music where mid-level managers and producers are tasked to control costs, where on the coasts they deal with artists more directly. Seeing how much freedom rock artists had directly inspired Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings to revolt against Chet Atkins, and gain creative control of their music, and becoming quote unquote “Outlaws.”
That’s the Cliff Notes explanation. I probably should do an updated article about all of this at some point.
July 18, 2019 @ 9:25 am
very interesting. this has puzzled me for a long time. thanks for the explanation!
July 17, 2019 @ 3:58 pm
George strait is a legend he was one of my dads favorite country singers and also mine so yes he deserves it 100 % 🙂
July 17, 2019 @ 5:41 pm
”…….been able to focus on the craft of songwriting l”
this says it all , trigger . writing great songs takes a LOT of focus ,a lot of time and a lot of life experience. it takes listening and , perhaps the most overlooked aspect , a lot of SINGING . no ….not necessarily singing for a living , as george does, but singing so you understand the importance of phrasing , breathing , emphasis on the RIGHT syllable , developing an ear for alliteration , melody , the power of long vowels , the power in simplicity , and the skill of creating phrases that a vocalist won’t stumble over , fight with or even forget . its almost always possible to spot a lyric written by a writer who doesn’t sing by one or more of the ‘red flags’ I’ve mentioned above .
for all of the reasons you point out ,this is an honour that I think george deserves and has earned . i’m gonna argue that the reason he didn’t write more prolifically in his early years was time . time to focus , to distill , to learn how to sing a great song by listening to the great writers , to learn by trial and error and by recognizing when he had or heard something worth singing about .
I’ve always found it not only sad but ironic that by the time an artist or a writer has a lifetime of experience under his or her belt and has something akin to wisdom to offer about it most are considered too old by music row standards to do so . another reason this honour is so sweet for the music community and , I’m sure , for george . the man has certainly had time to focus , consider and write songs about what he’s lived and finds worth writing about .
July 17, 2019 @ 6:05 pm
Without George Strait, critically-important songwriters to country music such as Dean Dillon and Jim Lauderdale may have never had careers, or been able to focus on the craft of songwriting like they did, penning some of the genre’s most legendary tunes. Strait’s talent was knowing a good song when he heard one, and then singing the hell out of it like only he could. The amount of behind-the-scenes songwriters and independent performers who owe the roof over their heads to George Strait number in the dozens.
This is an excellent point that ALWAYS goes overlooked when people bitch about certain singers not writing their own songs. I mean, shit, ask Jimmy Webb where he’d be without Glen Campbell, or ask Bob McDill what kind of shape he’d have been in had it not been for Dan Seals and Mel McDaniel. And there are a lot more examples where those came from.
July 19, 2019 @ 4:44 pm
Bob McDill would be right where he is, “had it not been for Dan Seals and Mel McDaniel.”
Now, had it not been for Don Williams, it might be a different story for McDill!
July 19, 2019 @ 8:21 pm
…ya know, I thought about Don Williams after I said that.
July 20, 2019 @ 12:10 am
I’ll leave it to someone like Ken from that defunct site to catalog it, but I have to think that after Strait and Dillon, Williams and McDill could be the most prolifically successful singer and writer pair in country music history. “Amanda,” “(Turn Out the Light And) Love Me Tonight,” “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “If Hollywood Don’t Need You (Honey I Still Do)” and “Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy” are five that come to mind that were played on country radio for years after their initial runs.
July 20, 2019 @ 7:58 am
I think you’d probably be right about that. Not sure about Jimmy Webb and Glen Campbell, but they’d probably be fairly high up on the list as well.
July 20, 2019 @ 11:58 am
@pistolero
Campbell was a cross-over superstar. I’m sure his recordings of “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Galveston,” “Wichita Lineman” et al earned royalties that were an order of magnitude higher than what Williams and McDill were doing. But I think Williams and McDill had more hits on the country chart and country radio.
July 20, 2019 @ 1:47 pm
Yeah, I understand what you’re saying. I think Webb/Campbell would probably better be described as iconic than prolific.
And for what it’s worth, the reason I mentioned Dan Seals and Mel McDaniel was that they both recorded a fair number of Bob McDill’s songs. Seals & McDill wrote at least a few together, including what I think is probably Seals’ best song ever, “Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold).”
July 20, 2019 @ 8:10 pm
I did not know that McDill had a hand in “Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold).” I wasn’t a big Dan Seals fan, but that was a great song. I like the live version that he did when he was in his 50s, sitting among an all-star country reunion group, even more than the original. Dan looks like he’s literally in pain, with his neck veins straining, trying to hit all those high notes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWUOU85Gmng
July 18, 2019 @ 8:52 am
The Pistolero,
I agree with your comments.
July 18, 2019 @ 8:25 pm
Well said, Trigger. And as a companion point to your argument that, “Without George Strait, critically-important songwriters to country music … may have never had careers, or been able to focus on the craft of songwriting like they did,” I’d add that the current trend of performers insisting on writing or co-writing most of their album cuts has meant that a new generation of songwriters is being shut out of the main game.
The result is songs written by committee that often SOUND like they were written by committee, feeling unfinished or, at least, uninspired.
Of course, some performers are also great writers, but artists should remember that without having to co-write every cut, they could perhaps reveal themselves to audiences even more powerfully through song selection and performance alone. It would be nice if it were more often a case of “the best song wins” rather than “the song in which the artist’s camp has a financial, strategic or vanity stake wins”.
July 19, 2019 @ 6:18 am
It’s safe to say without George Strait, as Trigger said, many songwriters wouldn’t have a career. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Jamey Johnson has gone on record saying he owes his career to George’s recording of “Give It Away”. Jamey said that song got people interested in his music. And on the songwriter by committee and just how one gets a credit, I know Trigger has touched on this a few years back, bit why don’t we ask the FIFTEEN songwriters on Thomas Rhett’s “Vacation”?
July 20, 2019 @ 10:05 am
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Jamey Johnson has gone on record saying he owes his career to George’s recording of “Give It Away”. Jamey said that song got people interested in his music.
I’d believe it. That song was a No. 1 hit and got played on the radio a fair bit even after its chart run was over.
July 21, 2019 @ 10:34 am
Vacation had a sample in it, that’s why it ended up with so many writer. There still probably would have been a lot but that probably knocks it down by at least half.
July 19, 2019 @ 4:40 pm
Trig, I think you’re way wrong to list Waylon Jennings as one of the “country legends known for penning only a few of their hits.”
Beginning in the ’70’s, Waylon wrote or co-wrote a good number of his biggest and most iconic hits: “Good Hearted Woman” (with Willie), “Just Because You Ask Me To” (with BJS), “This Time” (solo), “Rainy Day Woman” (solo), “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” (solo), “I’ve Always Been Crazy” (solo), “Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out of Hand” (solo), “Just Good Ol’ Boys” (Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard), solo. Also later non-hits but big great songs, nonetheless like “Waymore’s Blues,” “Waymore’s Blues, Part 2,” “Trouble Man,” “Too Dumb for NYC/ Too Ugly for L.A.,” “No Good For Me, “Right for the Time.”
If anything, I’d list Waylon Jennings among “country artists who wrote (or co-wrote) a significant share of their recorded legacy”!
I think it’s wrong to minimize Waylon in any way, because, unfortunately, he did not receive the late in life accolades (continuing after death) like his friend and Highwaymen compatriot Johnny Cash.
May 11, 2020 @ 4:47 am
You got that right sir…Waylon definitely doesn’t belong on this list..He had many number 1’s with his own songs…and started late writing in the 70s……You have already listed many of them, but he wrote I would say a good majority of his songs after the country radio turned its back on him in the 90s till his death. I love George Straight, he is an amazing performer, but Can anyone list a number 1 by his own pen???? NOPE….Waylon Jennings, without him, no country star today would have creative control of their own music, he single handed created a new genre of country music….Outlaw Country….He definitely doesn’t deserve to be discredited and placed on this “list”. Hell, Tammy Wynette hit number 1 with her own song “Stand by your man”….The Author seems upset that George Straight is nothing but a handsome wonderful performer. George has it all, looks, voice and rides horses. What else do you need to be a country star?? George Strait is missing the one thing to make him elite and in the category of Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson……songwriting ability…he has NONE. George Strait will forever be known as the GREATEST Karaoke singer of all time!!!
July 21, 2019 @ 10:30 pm
I love Dean Dillons songs, but his own versions of the hits he wrote for Strait would not have been hits with his voice.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:52 am
Hey, Harlan Howard didn’t exactly burn up the charts with his own records.
July 22, 2019 @ 3:37 pm
I’ll never understand why certain fans hold it against artists when they don’t write their own material. What truly matters, as you said, is picking quality songs. Who cares who wrote them? If you have this type of hang-up with George or anyone else, then you’re just out to be contrarian.
July 23, 2019 @ 12:13 pm
I think the issue is that there are a bunch of good singers out there and if a singer is simply singing songs that came from the hit factory songwriters and that just happened to land in his lap, then what is he really telling listeners about himself. I mean, if you’re George Jones or Randy Travis, fine. The voice is the thing. But Alan Jackson or Merle Haggard–or even Toby Keith–would not have whatever stature they hold if not for the fact that they were writing their own material. Back in the ’90s, when I last listened to country radio heavily, Mark Chesnutt, Joe Diffie, Tracy Lawrence, Sammy Kershaw, Tracy Byrd, and Clay Walker were all fine singers–but you sometimes got the feeling that their songs–often written by the same pool of writers–could have been randomly assigned among them, and it would have made no difference. Those singers never developed real personas. That’s why they didn’t last beyond their hit-making days.
July 27, 2019 @ 5:39 am
But I think Jones, Strait, etc succeeded because they didn’t pick songs from factory songwriter committees. They picked songs with a non committee point of view that happened to be written by someone else. I think the key is good (point of view) song writing vs factory song writing, not singing their their own songs vs singing someone else’s songs.
August 3, 2019 @ 5:48 pm
George Jones didn’t write his songs either or very few of the ones he was known for, so?
Some people can write but can’t sing, so it all works out for us.
May 13, 2020 @ 9:40 am
That just isn’t true at all..Tall tall trees..Alan Jackson number 1..she’s gonna hold on number 1…why baby why…number 1 two times….tender years number 1.. the window up above number 2 and number 1…tender years spent seven weeks number 1 George Jones was a prolific writer..name 1..just 1 by the karaoke singer George Strait….I’ll let you think..Dean Dillon made George Strait……it’s obvious you don’t know much about George Jones or country in general…you probably think Taylor Swift is real country.
May 13, 2020 @ 9:52 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTg2-T-PTr8
LOL, George Jones wrote this song.
May 13, 2020 @ 10:41 am
A few corrections, the website doesn’t allow editing..I was wrong about that one…sorry….. Wayne Kemp, and Kurtis Wayne wrote that song but Jones made it famous 1st., To continue on…We’re Gonna Hold On, Number 1 written by The Great George Jones sang by Tammy and George, George Jones was very prolific…Here is one of his earliest hits that hit number 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ2qeKnImNs. What a great song that one is by StoneWall, written by George Jones.
May 11, 2020 @ 4:57 am
Hey guys. Just The Way You Are, legendary, Innocent man, Wow. My special is, until the Night. It has been my life
December 3, 2020 @ 11:30 am
Hahahahaha the article literally says he was good at hearing and taking OTHER people music for his own.