SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 870
WHEREAS, The Texas Commission on the Arts has announced the
appointment of George Strait as the 2017 State Musician; and
WHEREAS, The Texas State Artist designations are awarded
to a select group of individuals to honor the exceptional
quality of their work and their outstanding commitment to the
arts in Texas; and
WHEREAS, Born in Poteet and raised in San Antonio, George
Strait revitalized traditional country music when he emerged on
the national scene in the 1980s with such hits as "Fool Hearted
Memory" and "If You're Thinking You Want a Stranger"; as
Nashville moved toward pop over the next decade, he stayed true
to Texas honky-tonk and Western swing and continued his reign at
the top of the charts, impervious to trends; the only artist to
have a Top 10 hit every year for over three decades, he has
released an unsurpassed 60 No. 1 singles, and with 33 platinum or
multiplatinum albums, he ranks behind only the Beatles and Elvis
Presley in sales; and
WHEREAS, A recipient of the prestigious National Medal of
the Arts, Mr. Strait holds more Country Music Association awards
than any other performer, and he was inducted into the Country
Music Hall of Fame in 2006; seven years later, he soared into the
Top 10 once again with "Give It All We Got Tonight" before
embarking on The Cowboy Rides Away Tour, his farewell to the
road; the final show, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, broke the
North American indoor concert attendance record by drawing more
than 100,000 fans; at the end of 2016, he released both Strait Out
of the Box: Part 2, a multidisc collection, and a new Christmas
album, Strait for the Holidays; and
WHEREAS, Widely admired for his immense talent, George
Strait has made important contributions to his chosen field of
artistic endeavor, and in so doing, he has enriched the cultural
vitality of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
Legislature, hereby congratulate George Strait on his selection
as the 2017 State Musician and extend to him sincere best wishes
for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
Mr. Strait as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate.
Menéndez
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 24, 2017.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate