"Ace in the Hole" was the name of a country music band best known for jumpstarting the career of George Strait. The band was formed in 1975 at Southwest Texas State University. After the original lead singer left to pursue a solo career the rest of the band put up flyers at the college looking for a new lead singer. Singer and guitar player George Strait answered the advertisement and launched his career.
Soon after joining George became famous and they started touring as "George Strait and the Ace in the Hole Band". For the last twenty years they have been known as one of the best backup bands in the business. The group has put out one solo album called Ace in the Hole Band.
In the winter of 1989 George Straight released his platinum selling record called Beyond the Blue Neon. The fourth track called Ace in the Hole was a tribute to his backup band and the single was successful in its own right - getting played on the radio and occasionally appearing on a movie soundtrack. Strait's early work was heavily influenced by swing and this song is no exception.
A sample from the lyrics:
No matter what you do
No matter where you go
You've got to have an ace in the hole
--written/performed by George Straight