MusicXML scores for euphonium by George Strait

George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. He is credited for pioneering the neotraditional country style in the 1980s, famed for his authentic cowboy image and roots-oriented sound at a time when the Nashville music industry was dominated by country pop crossover acts. Given his influence on the genre, Strait has been nicknamed the "King of Country Music" by writers and music critics. He currently holds the record for the most number one songs on all charts by an artist, in any genre of music."

Strait's success began when his first single "Unwound" was a hit in 1981, helping introduce the neotraditional movement to the mainstream. During the 1980s, seven of his albums reached number one on the country charts. In the 2000s, he was named Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music, elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and won his first Grammy award for the album Troubadour. Strait was named CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 2013, and ACM Entertainer of the Year in 1990 and 2014. He has been nominated for more CMA and ACM awards and has more wins in both categories than any other artist.

By 2009, he broke Conway Twitty's previous record for the most number-one hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart when his 44 number one singles surpassed Twitty's 40. Strait has amassed 60 number-one hits. "Give It All We Got Tonight" was number one in 2013, breaking a record also previously set by Twitty. Strait holds the record for most number one songs on all charts by an artist in any genre of music."

Strait has been known for his touring career beginning when he designed a 360-degree configuration and introduced festival style tours. For example, the Strait Tours earned $99 million in three years. His final concert for The Cowboy Rides Away Tour at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in June 2014, drew 104,793 people. It set a new record for the largest indoor concert in North America. In 2024 he set the record for the largest ticketed concert for a single act in U.S. history, with over 110,905 people at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.

Strait has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He holds the RIAA record for most certified platinum albums by any artist, with 33 certified platinum albums. He also has 13 multi-platinum and 38 gold albums. His best-selling album is Pure Country (1992), which sold 6 million (6× platinum). His highest certified album is Strait Out of the Box (1995), which sold 2 million copies (it went 8× Platinum due to being a box set with four CDs). According to the RIAA, Strait is the 12th best-selling album recording artist in the United States overall selling over 69 million records across the United States.