Amid all the brouhaha over waiting hours for tickets to his upcoming Fort Worth show, George Strait put out new music Friday.
Ever since 2015's "Cold Beer Conversation," King George fans have been eagerly waiting for new songs. Strait's new song "Código," about Código 1530, the premium tequila brand he advertises for and invests in, continues a country music tradition that stretches from Hank Williams and the Grand Ole Opry to Maren Morris: Songs as commercials.
Yes, "Código" is a commercial, but it's a well-made one, co-written with Strait's son Bubba and longtime collaborator Dean Dillon. As far as jingles go, it's catchy, and full of the fiddle and accordion one would expect from a Strait song. Here are five things we learned about Strait's tequila endeavors:
1. It's made in Jalisco, Mexico
Strait's lyrics say it all: "They make it down in Mexico/A little state called Jalisco/Where the beautiful agaves grow."
2. Strait's favorite expression of Código is Añejo
In a Fortune article from July 2017, Strait said he didn't drink a lot of tequila until he started vacationing in Mexico. There, he discovered the Añejo Código and enjoyed drinking it on the rocks or chilled.
3. Código used to only be available for friends and family of the tequila makers
Strait met Federico Vaughan and Ron Snyder (who also made a fortune running the Crocs shoe brand) at the El Dorado Golf & Beach Club, according to a 2016 profile in the Dallas Observer. He liked the aforementioned Añejo Código so much that he wondered where he could buy it. They told him that it had been made by a small group of Mexican families for years, and was only made available for family and friends of the family. When they decided to distribute it out, Strait was on board.
4. It'll cost you.
A bottle of Código could go anywhere from $50-$300.
5. People seem to like it (the song, at least).
Social media reaction for the song was mostly positive over the weekend.
Strait recently played the T-Mobile Arena in as Vegas on Friday and Saturday, and will continue his residency there throughout 2019, with only three other cities scheduled: Atlanta, Ga., Columbus, Ohio and Fort Worth, Texas (that is, if you were somehow able to get tickets).