George Strait has another honor to add to an already legendary résumé.
The King of Country Music has been named to the Forbes Veteran 250, a new list recognizing 250 of America’s most successful living military veterans and the impact they’ve made following their time in service.
Strait comes in at No. 142 on the list, which includes veterans who went on to make their mark in entertainment, business, government, sports and other fields.
Long before Strait became one of the biggest names in country music, he served in the United States Army.
Strait enlisted in 1971 and was eventually stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. His time in the Army also played an important role in the beginning of his music career. While stationed in Hawaii, he performed with an Army sponsored country band called Rambling Country, which also played off base under the name Santee.
After leaving the Army in 1975, Strait returned to Texas and enrolled at Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University. He later joined the Ace in the Hole Band, setting the stage for the career that would earn him the nickname the King of Country Music.
His first single, “Unwound,” was released in 1981, beginning a career that has now spanned more than four decades and includes 60 No. 1 singles, more than 100 million records sold worldwide and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The inaugural Forbes Veteran 250 was created as part of Forbes’ recognition of America’s 250th anniversary and celebrates living veterans whose accomplishments and influence continued long after their military service ended.
For Strait, it’s another recognition of a remarkable Texas success story that began years before anyone knew his name.
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