Introduction
“Check Yes or No,” written by songwriters Danny Wells and Dana Hunt Black, marked a significant milestone: it was the first song either had recorded by a major artist . Released on September 18, 1995, it served as the lead single from George Strait’s expansive box set Strait Out of the Box . Recorded on April 10, 1995, at Emerald Sound Studios in Nashville, the track showcases Strait’s signature neotraditional country style .
This narrative gem begins in third grade, where a shy schoolgirl named Emmylou Hayes passes the narrator—her classmate—a note on the playground. The note gives him two simple options: Check Yes or No. The song then leaps forward in time: the pair are now married and still filled with the same youthful spark, twenty years later . This clever storytelling—anchored in innocence, nostalgia, and enduring love—struck a chord with many listeners .
Strait’s immediate affinity for the song is well-documented: he reportedly instantly knew he wanted to record it after hearing it and even played it to his young son, Bubba, during a morning car ride—cheering him right up .
Upon release, “Check Yes or No” soared to the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, where it held for four weeks, and also topped the Canadian RPM country chart . The song’s success helped propel Strait Out of the Box to become one of country music’s best-selling box sets . It earned Single of the Year honors from both the CMA and ACM in 1996