A story of two Georges.
Videos by Wide Open Country
George Strait is the King of Country Music, and George Birge is a fellow country musician also from Texas. So when Birge sat down with Taste of Country Nights, they naturally asked whether the country music George from Texas met the country music George from Texas.
And it turns out he did, in the most peculiar fashion ever.
"I've met George Strait once," Birge started his story, "It was a speakeasy. It was a bar that Big & Rich used to own called 'The Spot,' in Nashville." Because of course they would meet in Nashville.
He spoke of the cool nature of the joint, "You had to have fingerprint ID to get in. It was membership only, so it was like honestly this Men in Black door on a concrete wall, like it looks like a supply closet."
Birge said that the only reason he got into this secure speakeasy was due to him being a famous country singer. Apparently, there was a bartender on duty 24/7.
The next part is the crazy part. Not only was George Strait in the speakeasy, but they were practically the only people in there, on a Saturday night on Broadway. This was meant to be.
George Birge Says What George Strait Told Him At A Speakeasy
"It's just me, my buddy and George Strait and his buddy. There's four people in the bar. And this is a Saturday night on Broadway, so I was like, 'What in the world is going on?'" Birge recounted.
"I was like, 'If there's any time to say hi to him, because he's my idol.' I walked over there, and I was like, 'Hey man, my name is George too, I'm from Texas and I make country music, too, and I wanted to say I'm a huge fan.'"
George Strait replied to Birge, in the most typical fashion ever.
Birge continued, "In classic George Strait fashion, with his perfect tan, and his white teeth and starched shirt ... I mean it looked like he walked out of a magazine. He was like, 'Man, I know who you are, and I'm proud of you. Keep it up, you're doing great.'"
"'Mr. Strait, thank you very much. Enjoy your night,' and I walked away," he recalled. "I can put that in my pocket for the rest of my life," Birge concluded the story.
I feel like most country musicians would sell a limb to receive such high praise from Strait.
