George Strait didn't always have exes who lived in Texas or had that oceanfront property in Arizona. Rather, there's a reality somewhere that sees the iconic country singer keep his day job in the United States Army instead of sell out stadiums. Before his big break, that's where he spent his time, providing for himself.
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Recently, Strait spoke with 107.9 Coyote Country for an interview. There, he recalls his history in the Army before making it big in Nashville. "Well, I joined the Army. I spent three years in the service. I had basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, then went up for Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in Fort Ben Harrison, Indiana. And then my final duty station was at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. I spent two and a half years in Hawaii, two years in the Army, and then I stayed there six months after I got out," George explains
George Strait Gets His Big Break While in The Army
Pretty standard stuff for Strait so far. At the time, country music is merely a hobby for him, something he would do to simply pass the time. However, country music very quickly became something George was known for amongst his ranks. Consequently, he would join the bands in the crew and sing for the Army personally. "And so... The last year I was in the Army is when I started singing country music and the general, the post command in general started bands out of military personnel and I got the job as the singer in the country band. And so that's what I did. I sang country music for the Army," George says.
I can't imagine a world where George Strait isn't one of the premier country artists in the world. However, I think that Army time might've been essential for his artistry too. It helps flesh out his world building and makes him a strong writer as a result.
