George Strait Releasing ‘Pure Country’ as Limited-Edition Vinyl

Country legend George Strait is releasing the Pure Country soundtrack on vinyl to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the album. This limited-edition pressing is the first time that the soundtrack is being released in the vinyl format.

Pure Country, one of Strait's greatest successes, hit No. 1, eventually selling more than 6 million copies, in part due to its two No. 1 hit singles: "I Cross My Heart" and "Heartland." His song "When Did You Stop Loving Me" also reached No. 6 on charts.

In terms of the film itself, Pure Country opened at No. 6 the week of its release, earning $2,739,680 in its opening week, taking in over $15 million in total. In the film, Strait plays Wyatt “Dusty” Chandler, one of the biggest stars in country music, who becomes disillusioned with his success. Strait's character simply walks away from it all, returning to his hometown to get back in touch with his roots by working at a ranch.

Kelefa Sanneh writes in the New Yorker that Strait “was persuaded by the producer Jerry Weintraub, and by Colonel Tom Parker, the former manager of Elvis Presley ... After a concert in Las Vegas, Parker told Strait how important Hollywood had been to Presley. ‘Elvis hated making those movies,’ he said — but they transformed him from a pop star to an icon.’”

Strait will celebrate the vinyl release of the album by highlighting some of its songs during his upcoming Las Vegas residency shows. Pure Country, Strait's best selling album of all time, is available on iTunes now.

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