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On the Charts 39 Years Ago Today, George Strait Reigned at No. 1 With This Lone Star-Themed Lament
This article, published by American Songwriter, marks the anniversary of George Strait's "All My Ex's Live in Texas" reaching No. 1 on Billboard's country chart on 11 July 1987. The piece celebrates Strait's enduring status as the "King of Country", noting that he holds more number-one hits than any artist in any genre (60) and a record 22 CMA awards. The song came from his seventh studio album, Ocean Front Property, which in January 1987 became the first album to debut at the top of Billboard's Top Country Albums chart.
Although the track's tale of fleeing Texas after a run of failed relationships sounds personal, Strait has said his material is not autobiographical, preferring to keep his private and professional lives separate. The song was instead written by fellow Texan Sanger D. "Whitey" Shafer with his fourth wife, Lynda J. Shafer, drawing on his own three failed marriages, though he joked the ex-wives were not the real reason he settled in Tennessee. "All My Ex's Live in Texas" was one of three number-one singles from Ocean Front Property and formed part of an extraordinary run of 11 consecutive chart-topping hits between 1986's "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her" and 1989's "Ace in the Hole".
Explained simply
George Strait is the most successful country music artist of all time, holding the record for the most number-one hits of any artist in any genre with 60 to his name. He is widely known as the "King of Country" and has won 22 CMA awards, establishing himself as one of the most decorated musicians in history. His career has defined modern country music for more than three decades.
"All My Ex's Live in Texas" is a song that humorously tells the story of someone leaving Texas because all their former romantic partners still live there. Though the track sounds deeply personal, Strait has said his material is not autobiographical and he keeps his professional and private lives separate. The song was actually written by Whitey Shafer, a fellow Texan, along with his wife Lynda, drawing on Shafer's own experiences with failed marriages rather than Strait's life.
The song became a major milestone in Strait's career, reaching number one on Billboard's country chart and appearing on his 1987 album Ocean Front Property, which made history as the first country album to debut at the top of the chart. It formed part of an extraordinary commercial run of 11 consecutive number-one hits that Strait achieved between 1986 and 1989, solidifying his position as one of the defining figures in country music.
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