George Harvey Strait was born and raised in the Texas cowboy tradition. He was born May 18, 1952 in Poteet, Texas ("Strait Facts") and grew up in nearby Pearsall, Texas, on his family's cattle ranch, a family legacy for over 100 years. His childhood was spent working with his father and brother on their farm, and he continued the ranching tradition by studying agriculture at Texas State University (Dickinson). In 1971, he married his wife, Norma, and soon after enlisted in the United States Army. While stationed in Hawaii, he began playing country music with his military-sponsored band, Rambling Country. Thus began his love affair with country music, and in 1975 he was honorably discharged from the military and returned to Texas to pursue his love of music. Shortly after returning to civilian life, he formed his own country group, Ace in the Hole, which immediately began to gain momentum in the local music scene. A few years later, until 1981, George had great success and signed with MCA Records Nashville. Since then, his name has become synonymous with "real country", as he has remained close to his native Texas roots, drawing on both honky tonk and swing traditions, both in music and clothing ( Dickinson). George still performs in his no-nonsense Texas ranch clothes - cowboy hat, western shirt and blue jeans (Dickinson), and stays close to his roots with the traditional themes found in country music for decades. With a career spanning over three decades, George's list of accomplishments is quite impressive. He has released 33 different platinum or multi-platinum albums, earning him the most platinum certifications in country music ("George Strait Biography"). In 2013, it reached its 60th number 1 h...... middle of paper .......com/news_Detail.asp?pkArticle=518>."Jenifer Strait Memorial Foundation."Jenifer Strait Memorial Foundation. Np, updated February 8, 2014. Web. May 12, 2014. “Strait Facts.” George Strait. Np, and Web. May 2014. Jamik, Jaelyn. "George Strait Looking for CMA Awards Wins After 23 Years (Video)." Examiner.com. Np, September 10, 2013. Web. Can. 2014. Toczylowski, Alison. “ASCAP will honor George Strait with Founders’ Award.” www.ascap.com. Np, August 12, 2013. Web. Can. 2014. Waddell, Ray. "George Strait: The Billboard Cover Story Q&A. Billboard April 16, 2014: Print.