"Amarillo by Morning" was originally recorded by Terry Stafford, who took it to #31 several years before Strait made it into his Signature Song.
"Famous Last Words of a Fool" and "Nobody in his Right Mind Would've Left Her" were originally minor chart hits for their co-writer, Dean Dillon.
"Today My World Slipped Away" was originally a Top Ten for Vern Gosdin.
"What Do You Say to That" was originally recorded by David Ball.
"Desperately" and "Wrapped" were originally recorded by Bruce Robison, and the latter had been recorded by several other artists before George covered it.
"The Seashores of Old Mexico" had been recorded by several artists, including Merle Haggard (who wrote it). Hank Snow also had a Top 10 hit with it in Canada in 1971.
"Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa" was originally recorded by Merle's son, Noel.
This also went the other way with "Oh Me, Oh My, Sweet Baby," which was a Top Five hit for Diamond Rio four years after Strait recorded it.
"Stars on the Water", written (and originally recorded) by Rodney Crowell, and made famous by Jimmy Buffett.
Crowning Moment of Awesome: Finally winning his first Grammy, for Best Country Album (Troubadour) in 2008.