The Heartbreaking Real-Life Story Behind George Strait’s “You’ll Be There”

The best songs can morph their meanings to reflect an individual listener’s life experiences. And the best artists can ensure an effortless transfer of these ideas, memories, and feelings. Such was the case for the lead single off George Strait’s 2005 album ‘Somewhere Down in Texas.’ 

“You’ll Be There,” released on March 28, 2005, might’ve been written by Cory Mayo. But as Strait would later explain, a heartbreaking tragedy from his past would forever link the King of Country with this touching ballad.

An Ode To The Other Side

George Strait’s “You’ll Be There” showcases the country star’s down-to-earth delivery of larger-than-life concepts—specifically, the afterlife. The song, which features lush string and vocal harmony arrangements, is written to someone who has already passed. As the narrator wrestles with the meaning of life on Earth, he sings to his loved one on the other side.

I’ll see you on the other side if I make it
And it might be a long hard ride, but I’m gonna take it
Sometimes it seems that I don’t have a prayer
But I know that I wanna go where the streets are gold
‘Cause you’ll be there

The song serves as a touching testament to the shallowness of material possessions. You don’t bring nothing with you here, and you can’t take nothing back. I ain’t never seen a hearse with a luggage rack. It also delves into the blind faith needed to trust the arc of one’s life path. If you can’t read the stars, well you better have a map, Strait sings. A compass and a conscience so you don’t get lost at sea or on some lonely island where no one wants to be.

But in more specific terms, this song also has a gut-wrenching connection to Strait’s life experiences.

George Strait’s Song For His Late Daughter

In 1972, George Strait and his high school sweetheart Norma Voss—both in their early 20s—welcomed a daughter, Jenifer, into the world. Just under 14 years later, Jenifer Strait was cruising around San Marcos, Texas, with three friends in the summer of 1986. The driver took a turn too quickly and lost control of the vehicle, causing it to flip onto its top. Strait was ejected from the car and was pronounced dead on the scene. She was only 13.

Already a successful country star at the time, Strait determined the only way he could cope with his tremendous loss was to dive into his work. “I just kind of shut down,” Strait told The New Yorker decades later. “I just didn’t feel like talking about it, so I quit doing interviews.” The famously stoic musician would eventually release songs like “Baby Blue,” which many believed was a testament to his late daughter. Strait never confirmed nor denied this idea. 

Strait wasn’t ready to discuss Jenifer in the late 1980s and 1990s. But the King of Country opened up about his emotional connection to his single “You’ll Be There” while promoting his 2005 record.

Not A Goodbye, But A See You Later

George Strait’s tragic past gives Cory Mayo’s lyrics to “You’ll Be There” a whole meaning as a grieving father reaching out to his daughter in the afterlife.

If you’re up there watching me, would you talk to God?
Tell him I might need a hand to see you both someday

In a 2005 USA Today interview, Strait admitted that the song makes him think of Jenifer.  “I’m a religious person,” he explained. “I honestly believe we will see each other in heaven someday. I wanted to do the song badly. The writer, Cory Mayo, held that song out because he knew I wanted to do it, and he waited until I had the chance. It was kind of him to do that.” 

As is so often the case with private musicians, Strait has let the music do the talking. Whether his own words or his interpretation of someone else’s, the King of Country offers a far more intimate glimpse into his personal life than anything he might’ve said (or not said) in an interview.

(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)