George Strait… a living legend.
Eric Church shared a hilariously awesome George Strait story with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on his “At Home” podcast recently, and it’s one for the ages.
Back on George’s farewell tour in 2014, Eric was opening a show for him in Omaha, Nebraska. Of course, Eric is a massive George Strait fan and even told Zane he would not only put him on the Mount Rushmore of country music greats, but he very well may be the greatest to ever do it in the genre:
“There’s an argument that you’re talking greatest artist of all time, in country, you’re talking about that.”
He goes on to talk about his time touring with The King, and that’s where it gets really good.
“We played Texas stadium. That was his last show. But, my favorite thing is we came up on his bus, the first show I played was an acoustic show I did in front of his show in Omaha, Nebraska, and we go up on his bus after the show. I took my wife.”
I mean, hanging out on George Strait’s tour bus? If that isn’t already the dream. But wait, it gets even better.
“We’re up there and George is, you know, he’s The King. And he just played in the round for all these people.
He’s up there, and we’re talking about music and I mention James Brown. And he goes ‘I love James Brown!’ I said ‘oh, good.’ So George has got his boots off, he’s in gold toe black socks, like dress socks.
And I said ‘let’s play some James Brown, come on.’ So he puts on some James Brown. And next thing I know, George Strait is tearing down in the middle of the bus, my wife’s tearing down with him, they’re all dancin’.”
You have to love it. I mean, what else would we expect from The King?
“I’m watching George Strait dance in gold toe socks to James Brown. It’s one of the coolest damn things I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve never seen anything like that. It is cool as shit.
So I’m watching this guy do this, goin’ ‘it doesn’t get better than this. This is the best I’ve seen.’ So, he’s tearing it up, man. George Strait and James Brown. Beat that.”
Well, George, James and Katherine (Eric’s wife). What I wouldn’t give to see that.
Hear Eric tell the story himself:
today’s #AtHomeWithAppleMusic with @ericchurch is a special one. tap in @applemusic https://t.co/Urz4A9nnO3 pic.twitter.com/T3mbyT9mbC
— Zane Lowe (@zanelowe) April 13, 2021
Cue “Cowboy’s Like Us” from the 2014 CMA Awards: