Introduction
“Troubadour,” written by Leslie Satcher and Monty Holmes and co‑produced by Tony Brown and George Strait, was released on June 2, 2008 as the second single and title track from Strait’s 25th studio album, Troubadour . Marking the 86th single of his career, it became his 79th Top‑Ten hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at No. 7 in September 2008 , and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 2009 awards .
The song finds Strait in a reflective mood, comparing his journey in music to the timeless wanderings of a troubadour:
“I was a young troubadour when I rode in on a song / And I’ll be an old troubadour when I’m gone” – anchoring the theme of enduring passion and artistic identity.
Leslie Satcher and Monty Holmes penned the song in 2007, with Satcher later recounting how a creative moment brought them to the title: “Right then I just heard in my ear … I heard something say ‘Troubadour,’” and within about 35 minutes, the song was written start to finish. Satcher has characterized the song as “a blessing,” inspired by Strait’s ongoing vitality and presence in country music, even as many expected he might be wrapping up his career.
The music video, directed by Trey Fanjoy and released in August 2008, interweaves footage of Strait performing with archival photos spanning his decades‑long career—his first music video since 2006’s “The Seashores of Old Mexico”.
“Troubadour” became the emotional centerpiece of Divine Strait’s Cowboy Rides Away farewell tour in 2013–14, reinforcing its reputation as a poignant anthem about legacy and love of the craft