Crossing paths with King George

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — Happy Birthday to George Strait. He’s 70 today.

I played his music a LOT when I was a country DJ back in the late 80’s. It seemed he could release a recording of him making fart noises with his armpit, have a fiddle playing in the background and it would do very well.

I was working with a guy from Houston at the time. His name was Jim, and he was the biggest George Strait fan…. ever!

How big?

One day, we were sitting in my office listening to the latest single from King George(Baby’s Gotten Good At Goodbye. KILLER song) and Jim says to me in his thick Texas accent “Ya know, I LUUUV the ladies but I would turn GAY for that man!”

Can’t say I blame him, George is one good looking dude.

So fast forward 30 years and I’m at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio where George is headlining a benefit concert for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey and thousands of miles from where Jim revealed his deep, dark secret.

The Mayor was there, the Governor was there, Chris Stapleton was there, so was Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen and my goodness, Miranda Lambert sure is beautiful (she stepped on my foot and I haven’t washed it since!).

Suddenly, there’s a buzz in the room and all eyes turn to the backstage door and in walks the man.

He joins the group, says a few words, shakes a few hands and heads towards the door.

I’m a few steps behind him and all of the sudden I find myself taking pictures for people who wanted to pose with George. The Mayor, the Governor, various news reporters and perhaps one lady who was hiding behind the curtain, waiting for her chance.

They are all handing me their phones and I’m snapping away until George’s people tie him up and carry him kicking and screaming to his awaiting car.

Actually, he just shook my hand and said hello before swaggering off and disappearing into the shadows as only that cool mo-fo can do.

I don’t remember who it was but someone asked if I had my picture taken with George and I tell them I did not.

They are perplexed as to why I would pass up the opportunity so I tell them “Did you notice how when he walked in, we ALL got real ugly, real fast? I don’t need to be reminded of THAT!”

He agrees, we did get ugly with George in the room. I make my way to the parking garage, where I run into Lyle Lovett who put up with me asking questions about the studio where he recorded his “Pontiac” album.

Poor guy gets stuck in a parking garage talking to some studio geek while women are crawling all over Strait!

I get back to the radio station and when word gets out about my George Strait encounter I am confronted by harsh words from my jealous co-workers, which continued when my wife and friends found out.

Cool guy, great country singer… and one pretty man.

Here are some of the pictures I took that day.