On This Day in 1983, George Strait Released His First No. 1 Album and Gave New Life to a Western Classic

On this day in (October 6) in 1983, George Strait released his third studio album, Right or Wrong. In 1984, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, marking the first of 27 LPs to achieve this feat. The album’s title track was an homage to one of Strait’s musical heroes, Western swing pioneer Bob Wills.

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Strait saw immediate success on the Hot Country Songs chart. His 1981 debut single, “Unwound,” was a top 10 hit. The next year, he landed his first No. 1 with “Fool Hearted Memory,” the lead single from his sophomore album. The LP also produced his second chart-topper, “A Fire I Can’t Put Out.” However, he hadn’t seen the same level of success on the Top Country Albums chart. His first two albums, Strait Country and Strait from the Heart, missed the top 10. They peaked at No. 26 and No. 18, respectively. Right or Wrong kicked off a string of eight consecutive No. 1 albums.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1982, George Strait Topped the Country Chart for the First Time—After His Wife Convinced Him Not To Quit Music]

Right or Wrong climbed the chart slowly. It reached No. 1 for the first time on February 18 and held the top spot for a week. It returned to the top on March 3 and reigned for two weeks. The album fell out of the top for five months before returning to No. 1 for two weeks in early September.

George Strait Breathed New Life into a Decades-Old Song

George Strait’s respect for the traditions of country music was clear to anyone with ears before he released Right or Wrong. However, if there were any doubts, he put an end to them with a trio of cover songs. The tracklist included the Fred Rose-penned Hank Williams classic “I’m Satisfied with You” and Merle Haggard’s “Our Paths May Never Cross.” Neither of those songs were released as singles, though. The album’s title track and second single, though, was a nod to his deep Texas roots.

“Right or Wrong” was originally a jazz song written by Arthur Sizemore, Paul Biese, and Haven Gillespie in 1921. Fifteen years later, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys made it a Western swing standard. Wills omitted the song’s verses, leaving only the chorus. Strait and countless others followed suit.

George Strait did what no other artist had managed to do. He made “Right or Wrong” a hit. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in April 1984.

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