One of the greatest recording artists of all time is “King of Country” George Harvey Strait.

The Texas native turned country music legend began performing rock and roll in high school before beginning a career that has lasted for more than 40 years.

His accolades include 33 platinum country albums and 13 multi-platinum studio albums, placing him only third behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley.

By refusing to adhere to the pop country fad of the time, Strait is credited with returning country music to its roots. His 1981 song “Unwound” became a smashing success right away.

He was a prolific songwriter, and seven of his albums from the 1980s that were released peaked at the top of the country charts. The icon of country music had 17 number one smash singles throughout this decade.

The Academy of Country Music named Strait Artist of the Decade in the 2000s. He was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and received his first Grammy for the album “Troubadour.”

With his childhood girlfriend, Norma, with whom he eloped in Mexico in 1971, Strait now resides in Texas with her. Together, they gave birth to Jennifer and “Bubba” George Strait Jr.

When Jennifer was barely 13 years old, she lost her life in a vehicle accident. The family established the Jenifer Lynn Strait Foundation to support children’s organizations in the wake of the tragedy.

Due to his successful country music career, which has produced 60 No. 1 songs, over 68 million albums have been sold, and he is still actively producing music (he released the album “Honky Tonk Time Machine” last year), Strait is reportedly worth $300 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

When he’s not creating top-charting country songs and flying about in his private aircraft, he donates his time to philanthropic organizations and relief efforts, including those in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which ravaged Texas’s coast.

He even tried his hand at acting, portraying Wyatt “Dusty” Chandler in the film Pure Country, which also bears the name of Strait’s best-selling record and the music to the film.

George Harvey Strait III, the first child of George Strait Jr. and his wife Tamara, made the King of Country a grandfather. In fact, he sang “God and Country Music” onstage alongside him at his historic 2019 performance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

A legend in his own right, this 71-year-old cowboy hat-wearing star has a unique place in the hearts of country music fans all over the world.