George Strait, known as the King of Country Music, set a new record for the largest ticketed concert in U.S. history when he performed for 110,905 fans in Texas earlier this week. While the fans largely sang along to his 50-year discography, he also teased a new song written by Maceo native Marty Brown from Strait’s upcoming album.
Brown said that when he wrote the song, “To the Moon,” in late 2022, he knew it had the potential to be something great. He tried contacting Strait’s team and heard back almost immediately that the country icon wanted to pursue it.
“George was talking about how much he loved the song and wanted to put it on a firm hold, and they were going to go in and record it,” Brown said.
Strait announced in May that his 30th studio album, “Cowboys and Dreamers,” will be released this September, ending his 5-year break from releasing an album. “To The Moon” is the third track on the album and includes Brown’s writing credits.
“He’s the king of country music, and I’m just so thankful and proud to thank God [to be included]. It’s a dream come true,” Brown said.
Brown said the feeling is getting sweeter as Strait continues his tour and teases music from the album. While the song has yet to be released, Strait performed it for the crowd of nearly 111,000 fans at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field — a number that surpassed the Grateful Dead’s 1977 concert, which attracted just over 107,000 people.
About halfway through the 32-song set, Strait let the crowd know they’d be hearing something new.
“I want to dedicate this for my wife of 52 years,” Strait said as the crowd roared in congratulations. “It’s called ‘To The Moon.’”
The guitars start strumming along while Strait sings, “I like my dog, I like movies, I like the ’60s back when everything was groovy” during the live debut of the song. The video of his performance has made its way through social media.
The crowd screamed in approval as Strait ended the song with “and I love you through thick and thin, to the moon up above.”
The most special part is not the crowd’s approval but the dedication at the start, Brown said.
“He sang my song ‘To The Moon’ and dedicated it to his wife on stage. I mean, it just couldn’t get any sweeter than that as a songwriter,” Brown said.
Brown said the song was written over the phone alongside his friend Steve Clark. The two wanted the chorus to feel “like an airplane taking off” as it soars over the crowd. But his favorite lyric in the song is the titular phrase with which Strait closes the song.
“That’s my favorite part, through thick and thin. They’re always going to be there no matter what life throws at you. True love will always win out,” Brown said.
The song didn’t change at all from the writing process to the stage performance and the version that’s on the album, according to Brown.
“Cowboys and Dreamers” will be released on September 6, with 13 new songs recorded by Strait. Brown said when the release drops, it’ll be a full-circle moment for his career, and he’s ready to see the next goal ahead.
He equated his journey to music and faith like that of a horse following where God guides it.
“My horse has taken me so many places in my life, and he’s probably ready to retire and I’m not going to let him,” Brown said. “You always got to keep shooting for the moon.”
