Introduction
“She’ll Leave You with a Smile” is a standout in George Strait’s illustrious career, penned by songwriters Odie Blackmon and Jay Knowles. It first appeared on his 200The Road Less Traveled and was released as the album’s third and final single in September 2002 . The song swiftly climbed the charts to become Strait’s on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and ultimately his 50th No. 1 when considering combined charts—a landmark achievement that outpaced Conway Twitty’s previous record. Notably, the single also reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking it as Strait’s most successful crossover hit to date ..
In March 2002, Strait performed a live rendition of the song at the closing concert of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo inside the Astrodome,first live album, For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome,February 2003 .. With nearly 68,266 fans in attendance, Strait broke the paid attendance record for any event in the Astrodome. The live album included “She’ll Leave You with a Smile” as a key track and was used as a promotional highlight . This performance captures the emotional depth. This performance captures the emotional depth of the song and showcases Strait’s prowess as a consummate live performer.
Together, the studio and live versions of “She’ll Leave You with a Smile” reflect both chart-topping success