MCA Nashville
George Strait‘s thirtieth album, which comes out today, turned out to be a family affair.
Most of the songs on Honky Tonk Time Machine were written by the Country Music Hall of Famer, along with his son, Bubba Strait, and his longtime collaborator, Dean Dillon.
One track even features vocals from Strait’s grandson, Harvey. King George admits the six-year-old was anxious to emulate his famous grandpa.
“When I recorded this record, we did it in Key West and I had my grandson down there with me,” Strait explains. “And he went every day to the studio, and so he’d have to get his charts and lyrics and follow along with everybody else.”
“But we ended up putting him on the song ‘God and Country Music,’ and he’s there on the end of it,” George continues. “It’s the first time that I’ve ever got to sing with my grandson.”
To hear Harvey’s part on “God and Country Music,” you’ll have to listen closely.
“It took us several takes,” George recalls. “I went in there and I kinda did it with him, and then I would kinda just back out and leave him. And so that’s how it worked out.”
“But he was all for it. He was all about doing it. He got really involved in that record. For six years old, that’s pretty good,” Strait says with a laugh, adding, “Maybe it’s the first of many.”
Honky Tonk Time Machine also boasts George’s biggest hit since 2013, the top-25 “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar.”
This Saturday, George headlines Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with openers Chris Stapleton, Chris Janson and Ashley McBryde. Tickets for his August concert at Gillette Stadium near Boston go on sale today as well.
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