1983 | Peak: #4
Arguably his signature song, “Amarillo By Morning” officially announced Strait as a distinctive artist of substance and merit.
Listening to it 28 years after its original release, it’s amazing how much this sounds like George Strait, like he’s finally found his niche as a performer.
Strait would revisit the rodeo theme often, but the simple arrangement and understated delivery are the defining elements of just about every Strait record since.
But its impact on Strait’s music is only a part of its lasting influence. Listen to “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)”, for example, and you can hear how Garth’s claims that Strait was one of his biggest heroes isn’t just empty praise.
His first of many classic singles.
Written by Paul Fraser and Terry Statford
Grade: A
Listen: Amarillo By Morning
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3CWNLhW140
Co-writer Terry Stafford, best known for his 1964 pop hit “Suspicion”, recorded “Amarillo by Morning” in 1973. According to Wiki, his original version only made it to #31 on the country charts.