Troubadour (George Strait album)
Encyclopedia
Troubadour is the title of the 25th studio album by American country music singer George Strait
. It was released on April 1, 2008 (see 2008 in country music
) on MCA Nashville Records. The album comprises twelve tracks, including two duets. The lead-off single, "I Saw God Today", was the highest-debuting single of Strait's career, and his forty-third Number One on the Billboard country charts. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA. At the 51st Grammy Awards
, Troubadour earned the Grammy Award for Best Country Album
, the first Grammy win of Strait's career. The album was intended to include the song "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven
", but after Strait decided not to include it on the album, it was later recorded by Kenny Chesney
, and was released as the first single from his album Lucky Old Sun
.
", the lead-off single, debuted at #19 on the Billboard
, Hot Country Songs
chart, giving Strait the highest chart debut of his career. This song went on to become his 43rd Billboard Number One, and his 56th on all trade charts, setting a new record for most Number One singles. The album's title track was released in June 2008 as its second single, and peaked at #7 on the country charts. Following it was "River of Love", which debuted at #45 in November 2008, and reached #1 in April 2009.
ranked the album #4 on its "Country's Best Albums of the Decade" list. "With a career that includes an awe-inspiring 50-plus No. 1 hits, plenty of George Strait's releases could have a spot on this list, but Troubadour feels like the best fit. From the Caribbean lilt of "River of Love" to the reverential "I Saw God Today" to the honky-tonkin' trucking song "Brothers of the Highway" to the carefree Western swing of "West Texas Town", Strait runs the gamut of sounds and emotions, and aces them all. One of the few artists who can achieve commercial success without courting it, Strait remains true to the honky-tonk-inspired sound he started out with decades ago."
George Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
. It was released on April 1, 2008 (see 2008 in country music
2008 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 2008.-Events:* April 27 — A story in the New York Daily News reported a possible long-term relationship between Mindy McCready and baseball star Roger Clemens that began when she was 15 years old...
) on MCA Nashville Records. The album comprises twelve tracks, including two duets. The lead-off single, "I Saw God Today", was the highest-debuting single of Strait's career, and his forty-third Number One on the Billboard country charts. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA. At the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
, Troubadour earned the Grammy Award for Best Country Album
Grammy Award for Best Country Album
The Grammy Award for Best Country Album has been awarded since 1994. The equivalent award, the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Album was presented in 1965 and 1966...
, the first Grammy win of Strait's career. The album was intended to include the song "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven
Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven
"Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven" is a country music song co-written by American songwriters Jim Collins and Marty Dodson. The song was initially to have been recorded by singer George Strait for his 2008 album Troubadour, but after Strait decided not to include the song on this album, it was...
", but after Strait decided not to include it on the album, it was later recorded by Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
, and was released as the first single from his album Lucky Old Sun
Lucky Old Sun
Lucky Old Sun is the thirteenth studio album released by country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on October 14, 2008 as the first release for Blue Chair Records, Chesney's personal division of the BNA Records label...
.
Singles
"I Saw God TodayI Saw God Today
"I Saw God Today" is the title of a song written by Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby. It was recorded by American country music artist George Strait and released in February 2008 as the lead single from his album Troubadour...
", the lead-off single, debuted at #19 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart, giving Strait the highest chart debut of his career. This song went on to become his 43rd Billboard Number One, and his 56th on all trade charts, setting a new record for most Number One singles. The album's title track was released in June 2008 as its second single, and peaked at #7 on the country charts. Following it was "River of Love", which debuted at #45 in November 2008, and reached #1 in April 2009.
Critical reception
Rhapsody (online music service)Rhapsody (online music service)
Rhapsody is an online music store subscription service, launched in December 2001, and available in the United States only. On April 6, 2010, Rhapsody officially declared its independence from RealNetworks. Downloaded files come with restrictions on their use, enforced by Helix, Rhapsody's version...
ranked the album #4 on its "Country's Best Albums of the Decade" list. "With a career that includes an awe-inspiring 50-plus No. 1 hits, plenty of George Strait's releases could have a spot on this list, but Troubadour feels like the best fit. From the Caribbean lilt of "River of Love" to the reverential "I Saw God Today" to the honky-tonkin' trucking song "Brothers of the Highway" to the carefree Western swing of "West Texas Town", Strait runs the gamut of sounds and emotions, and aces them all. One of the few artists who can achieve commercial success without courting it, Strait remains true to the honky-tonk-inspired sound he started out with decades ago."
Track listing
- "TroubadourTroubadour (song)"Troubadour" is the title of a song written by Leslie Satcher and Monty Holmes, and recorded by American country singer George Strait. It was released in June 2008 as second single from his 2008 album Troubadour. The song was the 86th chart single of his career...
" (Leslie SatcherLeslie SatcherLeslie Winn Satcher was born in 1962 in Paris, Texas. She has recorded two albums of her own and, in addition, she has co-written several singles for such artists as George Strait, Martina McBride, Pam Tillis, Gretchen Wilson, Patty Loveless, and Vince Gill....
, Monty HolmesMonty HolmesMonty Holmes is an American country music singer-songwriter. Holmes signed to Bang II Records and released his debut album, All I Ever Wanted, in 1998. His highest charting single, "Why'd You Start Lookin' So Good," peaked at number 43 in 1998...
) – 2:56 - "It Was Me" (Buddy CannonBuddy CannonBuddy Cannon is an American country music songwriter and record producer. Active since the late 1970s, he is known primarily for his work as Kenny Chesney's record producer, for which he won the Academy of Country Music's Producer of the Year award in 2006.Along with Bill Anderson and Jamey...
, Randy Hardison) – 3:09 - "Brothers of the Highway" (Doug Johnson, Kim Williams, Nicole Witt) – 2:42
- "River of LoveRiver of Love (song)"River of Love" is the title of a country music song written by Billy Burnette, Shawn Camp and Dennis Morgan. It was recorded by George Strait on his 2008 album Troubadour, from which it was released in November 2008 as that album's third single...
" (Billy BurnetteBilly BurnetteWilliam Beau "Billy" Burnette III is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter who was part of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1987 to 1995. Burnette also had a brief career in acting.-Family background:...
, Dennis MorganDennis Morgan (songwriter)Dennis Morgan is a songwriter and music publisher, best known for writing songs for Aretha Franklin, Faith Hill, Barbara Mandrell, and Eric Clapton. He has also published hit songs by Garth Brooks, All-4-One, Feargal Sharkey, and Trisha Yearwood.Morgan's career as a songwriter started as a session...
, Shawn Camp) – 3:15 - "House of Cash" (Satcher, Holmes) – 3:35
- duet with Patty LovelessPatty LovelessPatty Loveless , is an American country music singer.Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first album, Loveless has been one of the most popular female singers of the Neotraditional country movement, although she has also recorded albums in the Country pop and...
- duet with Patty Loveless
- "I Saw God TodayI Saw God Today"I Saw God Today" is the title of a song written by Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby. It was recorded by American country music artist George Strait and released in February 2008 as the lead single from his album Troubadour...
" (Rodney Clawson, Wade Kirby, Monty Criswell) – 3:22 - "Give Me More Time" (Al AndersonAl Anderson (NRBQ)Alan Gordon "Al" Anderson is an American guitarist, singer, and songwiter. Between 1971 and the early 1990s, he was the lead guitarist in the rock band NRBQ, also releasing several solo albums. He also played electric guitar on Jonathan Edwards' 1973 album Have a Good Time for Me...
, Dean DillonDean DillonDean Dillon is an American country music artist. Between 1982 and 1993, Dillon recorded six studio albums on various labels, and charted several singles on the Billboard country charts. Although he has not charted since 1993, Dillon has continued to write several hit songs for other artists, most...
, Scotty EmerickScotty EmerickWalter Scott "Scotty" Emerick is an American country music artist, known primarily for his work with Toby Keith. In addition to penning several of Keith's singles, Emerick has also written for Sawyer Brown, George Strait and several other artists...
) – 3:30 - "When You're in Love" (Dillon, Kerry Kurt Phillips) – 2:49
- "Make Her Fall in Love with Me Song" (Satcher, Anderson) – 2:25
- "West Texas Town" (Dillon, Robert Earl KeenRobert Earl KeenRobert Earl Keen, Junior is an American Texas Country singer-songwriter. He is popular with fans of traditional country music, folk music, college radio, and alt-country. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.-Early life:Growing up in Houston, Texas,...
) – 2:03- duet with Dean Dillon
- "House with No Doors" (Kate Coppola, Kacey CoppolaKate & KaceyKate & Kacey is an American country music duo consisting of identical twin sisters Kate Coppola and Kacey Coppola. In early 2008 they competed as a duo on the CMT series Can You Duet, where they took fourth place. In August 2008, they signed a recording contract with Big Machine Records...
, Jamey JohnsonJamey JohnsonJamey Johnson is an American Grammy Award nominated country music artist. Signed to BNA Records in 2005, Johnson made his debut with his single "The Dollar," the title track to his 2006 album The Dollar...
) – 3:44 - "If Heartaches Were Horses" (Buddy Brock, Wil Nance, Dillon) – 2:42
Chart performance
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Top Country Albums | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 13 |