Nearly 50 years after getting his start, George Strait remains the standard toward which many country musicians strive. The “Amarillo By Morning” hitmaker continues to set records at the ripe old age of 72. They don’t call him the King of Country for nothing—but Parker McCollum has put the 17-time CMA Award winner on notice.
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Parker McCollum Is Gaining Ground on George Strait
Last April, Parker McCollum landed his fourth straight No. 1 hit with “Burn It Down.” It was the second consecutive chart-topper off his 2023 album Never Enough, with “Handle On You” also reaching the No. 1 spot.
In a recent interview with CMT, the “Hell of a Year” singer said he never gave much thought to keeping a tally of his No. 1 songs. “I always knew George had 60,” said McCollum, 32. “It was like, ‘Well, you’re never gonna have 60.’ So, you know, I guess I never really thought about it too much.”
He’s keeping score now, though. “Now that we have four, I’m only 56 behind him,” McCollum said cheekily. “So I should be able to catch up pretty soon.”
You hear that, King George? Better hold on to your Resistol.
[RELATED: Parker McCollum “Turned Into Morgan Wallen” With This “More Than My Hometown” Cover]
George Strait Is Still a Country Music Idol
While it may sound like Parker McCollum has George Strait in his crosshairs, it’s all love. The “Pretty Heart” crooner spoke last month about the impact his fellow Texan has had on him, both onstage and off.
“What influenced me as a kid and still does to this day, more than George’s music, is the way that he carries himself behind the scenes, off the stage—as a family man, as a husband,” McCollum told CMT. “That’s really the part that I try to pay the most attention to and take the most from when I get the chance to be around him.”
He continued, “And I just think that’s so impressive with, you know, 60 number ones, the king of country music, and just as big as as an artist and and a talent could ever be in this business, and he still carries himself just like a great man.”
Featured image by AFF-USA/Shutterstock
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