GEORGE STRAIT'S PRIVATE PAIN
Reclusive cowboy king’s generous heart shattered by terrible family tragedy
COUNTRY music’s alltime hit maker George Strait has amassed a $300 million fortune — but friends reveal personal tragedies have turned the cowboy king into a superstar recluse!
After 60 No. 1 hits and selling over 100 million albums, the 66-year-old singer — who begins special tour dates next month — lives the simple life with wife Norma.
“You’re not going to find any singing star with more money and fame who wants less attention than George,” a friend says.
“He and Norma have a nice home in San Antonio and a large ranch down by the border of
Mexico. But George couldn’t give a hoot about the trappings of success and when he does go out, he doesn’t wear his cowboy hat, so many people don’t even recognize him — and that’s just the way George likes it.”
The All My Ex’s Live in Texas singer’s low-key demeanor is due to a life laced with heartbreak, insiders say.
His parents split when George was in fourth grade — with his mother leaving George and his brother, Buddy, with their father.
“Needless to say, George felt abandoned,” the friend says. “He had almost no communication with his mother after she left.”
George married Norma when he was just 19 and then enlisted in the U.S. Army. After his military stint, George launched his music career, hitting the Top 10 with his debut single, Unwound, in 1981.
The hits kept on coming, but George and Norma were rocked by tragedy when their 13-yearold daughter, Jenifer, was killed in a car accident in 1986.
“After Jenifer’s
Fans stuck by him, but hard times were still to follow.
His brother, Buddy, died of a suspected accidental drug overdose in 2009, and his father passed away four years later.
This past August, George’s close pal Mike Kennedy, who played drums in his backing band for nearly 30 years, was killed in a car accident.
“It’s like through all that, George built a wall around himself,” the friend says. “The only people he truly lets in are Norma and their son, Bubba.
“It’s kind of a shame that George withdrew so much from the public eye. He gives away millions to charity, but even his fans have never truly gotten to know what a kindhearted guy he is.
“George has lived his life entertaining people, but he’s found it hard to truly let the world in.”
November 26, 2018 / GLOBE