20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of George Strait CD

When it comes to creating some of the most authentic, unapologetic, in your face, country music there is, George Strait has no equal. Let others be trendy, Strait prefers his country pure. And the country has responded: He has more platinum albums than any country artist in history (25) and he’s fourth on the all-time list after Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Barbra Streisand. As of the end of 2001, he had won 15 Country Music Association Awards and 11 Academy of Country Music Awards, including multiple Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year honors.

Strait has personally chosen the 12 selections on The Best Of George Strait edition of 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection (MCA Nashville/UME), released March 26, 2002. Spanning a full decade, 1983–1993, and the platinum albums If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’), Beyond The Blue Neon, Livin’ It Up and Right Or Wrong; double platinum Easy Come, Easy Go, and Ocean Front Property, and six times platinum Pure Country soundtrack album, each is a #1 country hit. Each has been digitally remastered for this compilation.

Included are some of Strait’s greatest songs of lost love - “You Look So Good In Love,” “Famous Last Words Of A Fool,” “Baby Blue,” “Baby’s Gotten Good At Goodbye,” “What’s Going On In Your World” and “Easy Come Easy Go.” Also featured are upbeat ballads like the wedding favorite “I Cross My Heart” and the tale of fatherly devotion “Love Without End, Amen.” Picking up the tempo are such concert favorites as “All My Ex’s Live In Texas,” “I’ve Come to Expect It From You,” “Ace In The Hole” and “If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’).”

Strait grew up a genuine cowboy in south Texas, earning an agricultural degree at Southwest Texas State University by day and singing country music in clubs by night. Just when he was about to give up music for ranching after three failed attempts to crack Nashville, he was signed by MCA in 1981.