George Strait grew up as a musician playing western swing in the dancehalls of Texas, and he's continued to include swing material regularly in his shows even after he became a star. Still, he hasn't actually recorded a swing tune on one of his albums since at least 1993.
He finally sank his teeth into one for his new album, Troubadour, which is released today. The track is called "That West Texas Town," and it's notable not only because it returns him to the style associated with the late Bob Wills, but also because it marks the first time George has recorded a duet with Dean Dillon. Dean wrote George's very first hit, "Unwound," and he's gone on to write a dozen more, including "The Chair," "Famous Last Words Of A Fool," "Ocean Front Property" and "She Let Herself Go."