𝗦𝗔𝗬 𝗬𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 George Strait’s Music

Introduction

Every Little Honky Tonk Bar

“Every Little Honky Tonk Bar” is a vibrant single co-written and performed by George Strait, featuring contributions from his son Bubba Strait and longtime collaborator Dean Dillon. The song was released on February 11, 2019 as the lead-off single from Strait’s 30th studio album, Honky Tonk Time Machine .

The song’s lyrical spark came in a late-night writing session at George Strait’s ranch in South Texas, where the team was winding down. As Strait recalled, “I was tired and ready to go to bed… but Bubba goes, ‘Whiskey is the gasoline that lights the fire that burns the bridge.’” That evocative line inspired the rest of the song, which they completed that same night.

A vivid neotraditional-country tune, the song paints a rich picture of barroom life—highlighting whiskey, jukeboxes, neon lights, dancing, heartbreak, and revelry, all within the timeless setting of a honky-tonk. Strait’s signature style—authentic, dance-friendly, and rooted in painting stories about everyday life—shines through in both the music and storytelling.

Strait debuted the song live in December 2018 during a show at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. When it hit radio, the song was instantly embraced—it became the most-added song at country radio during its debut week, appearing on 117 stations and landing quickly in the Top 20 of the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

The music video, released in May 2019, features live performance footage of Strait and shots of enthusiastic fans line-dancing—a fitting visual companion to a song about the honky-tonk experience. Notably, it was Strait’s first official music video since 2009.

In sum, “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar” reaffirms George Strait’s legacy as the “King of Country Music,” blending time-honored honky-tonk themes with contemporary storytelling to deliver a track both nostalgic and new.

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