Country and blues music will be highlighted over the next two years in Texas as the state legislature has selected the Texas State Musician for 2017 and 2018.
George Strait was chosen for 2017 which the state plans on making official on Thursday (May 18). Strait said “It’s a great honor for me to be selected as Texas State Musician of 2017 and join this very prestigious list of other honorees. I’m a very proud Texan and love to sing the praises of our great state every chance I get.”
State representative John M. Frullo said “The great talents of the State Artists help contribute to a distinctive cultural identity that makes Texas a great place to live, work and visit.”
Strait is one of the biggest artists that the country world has ever had. Over a career that started in 1980, George scored 44 number 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and, when additional number 1’s are added in from other charts, he is the artist with the most number 1 records of ANY genre.
Candidates for Musician of the Year are submitted by the public with final selection left to a special committee. Jimmy Vaughan and Joe Ely were the 2015 and 2016 selections.
Marcia Ball, born in Orange, TX, has been selected for 2018 (the committee makes their selections once every two years). Recording since the early 70’s, Ball has ten Blues Music Awards, eight Living Blues Awards and five Grammy nominations.
Ball said “I am honored and excited to be able to represent Texas musicians. I hope in some way I can raise awareness of the creative community that we are all a part of.”
