It wasn't much of a stretch role by any means, but the 1992 film Pure Country featured George Strait portraying a chart topping country star who turns his back on the glittery and theatrical trappings of Nashville to re-embrace his less commercialized, honky-tonk roots. Ironically, Pure Country proved to be the best selling commercial release of Strait's career at the time. And as the title suggests, these songs are very much steeped in the roadhouse twang and weepy beer joint ballads that helped define the new traditional sound of early '90s hat acts. But with the boot stomping drive of "Where The Sidewalk Ends" and the George Jones inspired "The King Of The Broken Hearts," Strait also found a secret weapon in the songwriting of hit maker Jim Lauderdale, who until then was scraping by as a back-up singer for Dwight Yoakam and Carlene Carter.