You could be forgiven for not immediately thinking George Strait would become as big a star as he did. He was too well-mannered to be honky-tonk, and too understated to be pop. His rockers, such as they were, were tidy and restrained (“The Steal of the Night”), and he never milked a ballad for more feeling than it needed (“Marina del Rey”). In a gallery of cowboys, ramblers, and other personalities that pushed emotions to the extreme, Strait presented himself as nothing more than a nice guy in a crisp pair of jeans. He was a traditionalist from the drop. But instead of trying to revive the past, 1982’s Strait From the Heart evokes the core values of country music in ways that feel familiar and timeless. Musically, you can hear the Western swing of Bob Wills (“I Can’t See Texas From Here,” “Heartbroke”) and the gentle countrypolitan of Glen Campbell (“Amarillo by Morning”). But you also get the sheen of soft rock (“Marina del Rey”) and adult contemporary (“Lover in Disguise”) in ways that skirt convention without overtly trying to cross over. Strait From the Heart paved the way for Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, and a host of other artists who managed to capture their moment without embracing trend. But most of all, Strait created a style that allowed country music to grow into the future without sacrificing its past. He later joked that fans would consider anything he did traditional—because traditional is just what a traditionalist does.