By Joanie Cox-Henry
Let me get Strait to the point. George Strait has released more than 30 albums and sold over 68 million records and after seeing him perform live at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Aug. 2, it's obvious why he's still country music royalty.
It was a sea of cowboy hats and boots at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood as the crowd toasted the return of Strait who initially stepped away from the stage after his wildly successful "The Cowboy Rides Away Tour" in 2014. Strait performed more than 70 shows in 40 cities across the United States. Now the "Troubadour" is in the midst of a well-curated national tour with his Ace In The Hole Band. Strait, whose singing chops are still spot-on, has chosen quality over quantity and he's hitting a handful of lucky cities to perform his greatest hits.
The legend's opening act was Caitlyn Smith. Smith, who announced at the show she is pregnant with her third son, revved up the crowd with her larger-than-life personality and finely tuned musical skills as she volleyed between a keyboard and an acoustic guitar. This was my first time seeing Caitlyn Smith and she was impressive to watch. It's clear she loves entertaining and in addition to George Strait, she has opened for Reba, Little Big Town, and Old Dominion. Smith has also written songs for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, and Avicii, and she co-wrote "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" for Meghan Trainor. While Smith performed an epic medley of hits such as "I Can't Make You Love Me" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" on the keys, it's her original song "Contact High" that gripped me. She has a very engaging style of strumming and she's a fierce, fiery siren see experience live.
"My dream when I went to Nashville was to sing my own songs," Caitlyn Smith said during the Hollywood, Fla., concert. "I'm one grateful girl being here, getting to open for the King of Country music tonight."
There was a short break after Smith finished her set and then Strait and his Ace In The Hole Band took over the stage to open with "Stars On The Water." George Strait is still singing songs about love, loss, and the simpler things in life and there's something so satisfying about that. In a time when A.I. is snatching jobs and tech is solving some things and complicating others, it felt magical to get lost in his lyrics of a solid set which included Strait's favorite song to sing "Amarillo By Morning," "All My Ex's Live in Texas," "Check Yes Or No," "The Fireman," "I Can Still Make Cheyenne" and many others.
Then George introduced his epic 11-piece Ace In The Hole band and what a dynamic and exceptional band this was to see live.
Mike Daily (San Marcos, Texas) - steel guitar
Gene Elders (Austin, Texas) - fiddle
Benny McArthur (Texas) - fiddle + guitar
Rick McRae (San Antonio, Texas) - lead guitar
Bobby Jarzombek (San Antonio, Texas) - drums
Terry Hale (Austin, Texas) - bass guitar
Joe Manuel (Creole, Louisana) - acoustic guitar
Marty Slayton (Nashville) - vocals
Wes Hightower (Weatherford, Texas) - vocals
John Michael Whitbey (San Marcos, Texas) - keyboards
Ronnie Huckaby ( San Marcos) - keyboards
The Ace In The Hole Band has been going strong since 1975 and they've been affiliated with Strait from the start. Mike Daily and Terry Hale have been with the band since its inception and many of the other current members also have a long history with the group. Strait made sure both sides of the venue felt his gratitude and could get a better glimpse of him as he moved from stage left to stage right throughout the show. One of the best things about seeing a show at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is that every seat is really a decent seat since the 7,000-seat venue is well constructed and has a spacious layout. Strait also performed his latest song "Weight of The Badge" which is a solemn song honoring police officers. During this performance, images of Broward County police officers and first responders flashed on screens as he sang.
George Strait thanked his fans for coming and encouraged them to give themselves a round of applause as he returned with an encore that included a multi-song spread and a boot-stomping cover of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues."
George Strait may not be "Here for a long time," but he's definitely
"Here for a good time," and that's exactly the gift he gave the audience at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. He has a few more dates on the tour scheduled for this fall. Check out Georgestrait.com for the latest news on the entertainer.
Sneak a peek from the show:
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