Page 29 - Aruba Today

PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Wednesday 23 September

Strait releases new album, will play Las Vegas in 2016

KIMBERLY PIERCEALL upcoming shows at the repeat Country Music As- George Strait poses for a portrait following his press conference
Associated Press 20,000-seat arena — April sociation entertainer of the at the MGM Grand Resort and Casino on Tuesday, Sept. 22,
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Country 22-23 and Sept. 9-10 — year said he’s always look- 2015, in Las Vegas, Nev.
music king George Strait and release a new album, ing for a good swing tune
wants to be clear. “Cold Beer Conversation,” and found one, writing the Associated Press
His upcoming four shows available on iTunes and tongue-in-cheek, “It Takes
and likely more at MGM at Walmart stores starting All Kinds” with lyrics such as, ace or seeing The Judds Strait has been no stranger
Resorts’ new Las Vegas Friday. It’s an album with “Some got a boat they like reunite at upcoming shows to Vegas and its many ca-
Arena next year aren’t ballads and toe-tappers to float/ Some got a story at The Venetian. sino venues. “The crowds
some re-emergence from for those “dudes and du- they sugarcoat / some “George retired from tour- are great, and they come
retirement. dettes” reminiscing about got a clue and then some ing at the top of his game,” from all over the place,” he
The 63-year-old may have high school football games, don’t / it takes all kinds.” said Gary Bongiovanni with said.
hung up his touring boots family and life over a cold Strait said he traded lyrics the concert industry track- When the Las Vegas Arena
last year after four de- beer.His first choice for a in texts with his son and his ing firm Pollstar. “He has a opens in April, Strait will be
cades and his record-set- cold beer chat? His father, song-writing buddies. very loyal fan base that will among the first to play the
ting “Cowboy Rides Away” John Byron Strait, who died “Bob Wills and His Texas be delighted to hear the new $375 million venue be-
shows, but he’s hardly done in 2013 at 91. Playboys were a big influ- news they have a chance ing built by MGM Resorts
singing or performing. It was Strait’s wanting to ence on me,” he said. “At to see him again.” and AEG.q
“Some people that I have talk with his dad that led one point, I thought I was
told that I’d be doing some him to write “Everything I going to do a big band
dates in Vegas in 2016 at See” with his son Bubba. record of standard songs
the Las Vegas Arena, they “I wish I would have stuck a like Sinatra-type songs, and
go: ‘Well, you retired. I phone in his shirt, as ridicu- that’s still a possibility.”
thought you retired.’ Ooh, lous as that may sound,” The Las Vegas Strip has
I just wanna grab ‘em and he said of the death of his been many things to many
shake ‘em. I never said father, as he pondered the people. But it has increas-
that,” he said Tuesday with information cloud and be- ingly become a hub for
a flash of his pearly white ing able to communicate country music fans, wheth-
cowboy smile. with his dad from the be- er seeing Reba McEntire
Strait announced Tuesday yond. and Brooks & Dunn at The
that he would perform four The Grammy winner and Colosseum at Caesars Pal-