In a rare and deeply emotional interview, George Strait, the man known as the King of Country Music, opened his heart and revisited a painful chapter that has shaped every part of his life—the loss of his 13-year-old daughter, Jenifer.
It’s a story fans have heard whispers of, but seldom from George himself. For years, he chose to keep the pain private, letting the music speak where words could not. But in this rare moment of vulnerability, George opened the door just enough to let us see the man behind the legend—the father, not the superstar.
“There’s not a day I don’t think about her,” he said softly. “It changes you forever. You just learn how to carry it.”
In 1986, tragedy struck when Jenifer Strait was killed in a car accident near San Marcos, Texas. She was only 13 years old. The loss devastated the Strait family—and though George continued to tour and perform, he withdrew from media and interviews for a long time.
“I didn’t talk about it much, because I couldn’t,” he admitted. “The pain was too deep. Too sacred.”
What followed was a period of silence, healing, and quiet resilience. George Strait poured his grief into his music—not always directly, but in the tone, the tenderness, and the truth that began to color his songs.
“Go rest high on that mountain.”
“You’ll be there, too, someday.”
These lyrics, though not written by George, became anthems of comfort for fans facing loss—and a reflection of the space he himself was learning to live with.
In the interview, George also spoke of how faith, family, and the support of his wife Norma helped carry him through the darkest days.
“We just held on to each other. That’s what saved us,” he said. “God, and each other.”
Now, decades later, George continues to honor Jenifer’s memory through the Jenifer Strait Foundation, supporting children’s charities across Texas. It’s his way of turning tragedy into legacy—a way to give her light a chance to shine through others.
And perhaps the most heartbreaking and beautiful moment of the interview came near the end, when George looked down and quietly said:
“She was a gift. And I still feel her with me—especially when the music’s just right, and the night gets real quiet. That’s when I know she’s near.”
For fans who’ve long admired George Strait’s voice, this rare interview reveals something even more powerful: his heart.