George Strait is popularly regarded as the “King of Country” due to his countless hit songs. With great singles like “She Let Herself Go,” “Give It Away,” and “You’ll Be There,” he is regarded as one of the most popular and influential musical artists of all time.
Aside from becoming a world-renowned country musician, Strait has also enjoyed tremendous personal achievements. He and his wife, Norma, married five decades ago and have been sharing their lives ever since.
Strait is also proud to be a father. His connection, though, has not always been flowers and moonlight. His romance with Norma almost didn’t materialize at first. Follow along to find out how they turned things around and formed a great relationship.
Yesterday, December 4, 2022, Norma and George celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary. They’ve been through a lot together to get there.
Strait and his wife, Norma, have known each other for many years. Despite their shared hometown, they did not regard each other as prospective love partners.
That quickly changed, and Strait invited Norma out on a date that turned out to be a success. Unfortunately, the pair did not meet again for a long time, until the singer realized something was “missing” in his life.
Fortunately, Norma had not written Strait off after their sabbatical, and they soon reconnected. Strait captivated the audience with the sweet narrative of how he first met his wife half a century ago when the couple celebrated their 50th anniversary in Las Vegas in 2021. As his wife smiled at the recollections, he shared:
“So I was 19 years old at the time, and I knew this girl named Norma. She was 17 and really attractive. “As a result, we fell in love.”
Strait dedicated his popular song “I Cross My Heart” to Norma as the audience erupted in ovation, and the audience sang along with every lyric, even as Strait continued:
“We eloped in Mexico 50 years ago today.”
After eloping on December 4, 1971, the couple returned to Texas and married in a modest church in Pearsall, Texas, in front of family and friends. Strait was soon off to Hawaii for Army duty, where his wife subsequently joined him.
Strait led the ideal life in the years that followed. He was blissfully married to the love of his life, and they now had two lovely children: Jenifer, born in October 1972, ten months after their wedding, and George “Bubba” Strait, Jr., born nine years later, in 1981.
His solo music career also took off, with his track “Fool Hearted Memory” reaching the top of the charts. All of that was broken, however, by a catastrophe that devastated the singer’s family and threatened to flip his life upside down.
Jenifer, then 13, was in a car with her friends when the driver, Gregory Allen, then 18, attempted to turn, lost control of the Ford Mustang, and rolled over. Jenifer was the lone victim in the June 25, 1986, accident in San Marcos, Texas, because her side window was open and she was not wearing her seat belt.
A year later, prosecutors dropped Allen’s criminally negligent homicide case. While he was released, Jennifer’s family was still grieving the death of their daughter. Strait said to People:
“We were fortunate to have had 13 years with our lovely daughter Jennifer.”
“We shall all miss Jennifer terribly and never forget her smile and humor.” “She meant everything to us, and we will miss her terribly.” According to Closer Weekly, Strait wrote about his daughter.
Strait utilized his music to cope with the loss of his beloved daughter, and shortly after her death, he published the song “You’ll Be There” to honor Jenifer’s memory. “Obviously, it’s a significant song for me,” the singer said, adding, “Obviously, it’s a special song for me.”
“You know, the tragedies that have transpired in my life, especially the loss of my daughter. I suppose we will see each other again eventually. I believe it is what we all aim for: to reach paradise eventually.
The anguish, however, took its toll on him, and he stepped away from the spotlight entirely. He stopped conducting interviews, telling The New Yorker that he didn’t want to talk about it.
Despite his wish to continue singing, he thought that if his sadness cost him his career, he had no regrets because it was the only way he could cope with the death of his daughter.
Jenifer’s death also had a significant impact on her brother Bubba. Strait spoke of the two’s particular relationship, saying, “We knew he was secure with her because we saw them together and the way she looked over him.” “He loved her in the same manner and will continue to do so in the future, just as we will.”
“Because of their nine-year age gap, Jenifer was like a second mother to Bubba in some ways,” Strait explained. “They argued like brothers and sisters, but in the end, she always made Bubba feel like he had won.”
Following the death of their lovely daughter, Strait and his wife relied more on their trust in God and on each other to get through the difficult moment. Strait subsequently praised his wife for sticking by him through good and bad circumstances.
Suffering such a catastrophe might have brought their marriage to its knees swiftly, but Strait and Norma’s relationship has done more than just survive the burden. It’s only gotten stronger. Norma is still the singer’s number-one fan after decades of marriage, and Strait is as dedicated and affectionate to his wife as he was when they first met.
“Norma and I are very fortunate that we discovered one another 41 years ago and have been able to accomplish all of this together, experience this life together, and support each other through everything, good times and bad,” he said. “Almost everything we do together.”
The couple is still celebrating several life milestones, like their 50th wedding anniversary in 2021, when the musician serenaded his wife. They are also delighted to be grandparents to Bubba’s children. Even after all these years, the two are still in love. Strait continued:
“We love each other, and we still like each other. A lot!”
And, despite having only experienced celebrity and fortune in his career, faith keeps the cowboy grounded. His ability to distinguish between natural and transitory enjoyment, unlike many superstars, may be his secret.
The “Check, Yes, or No” singer revealed that he has learned to distinguish between his stage persona and his family-loving side, without which he would be in danger. Most significantly, his faith has played a vital role in his life and marriage.
George Strait Jr., often known as Bubba, was just four years old when his sister died. He then attended Texas A&M University, where he began a competitive rodeo career. Following graduation, he worked as a team roper for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
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Bubba is a talented singer and composer in addition to his illustrious rodeo career. On his father’s album, “Twang,” he co-wrote three tracks and wrote one solo.
Aside from business, Bubba is a spouse and father of two children. He married Tamara, a prominent realtor, in December 2010, and the couple has two children, Jillian Louise Strait and George Harvey Strait III.
Despite the fact that Bubba is grown and has his own family, the Strait family values holidays and makes every effort to spend them all together.
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George and Norma are now proud grandparents to a lovely daughter who recently turned eight. George and Norma’s son, George, is the mother of the young girl.
George Junior, called Bubba, was born on May 14, 1981. He is also a rodeo performer and a musician. He and Tamara, his wife, married in 2010 before welcoming their daughter,
Jenifer, the couple’s daughter, was born on October 6, 1972. Unfortunately, she died on June 25, 1986. In her honor, her family established a charitable foundation.