The King of Country might just be the king of live shows, too.
George Strait recently achieved an incredible milestone by hosting the largest ticketed concert in U.S. history, drawing more than 110,000 fans to his performance. This remarkable feat broke the previous record held by the Grateful Dead, who performed for 107,019 fans at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, in 1977.
According to Messina Touring Group, Strait’s concert, titled “George Strait: The King at Kyle Field,” featured special guests Parker McCollum and Catie Offerman. The 72-year-old country legend entertained the crowd with beloved hits like “Here For A Good Time,” “Check Yes or No,” “Amarillo By Morning,” and “Take Me To Texas.” He also introduced some new songs from his upcoming album, “Cowboys and Dreamers,” set to release in September.
“We got a lot of songs to play for y’all tonight. What a beautiful night, too, right? We got some new stuff that we’re gonna do also, we got a new album out in September called Cowboys And Dreamers, so we got some stuff from that we’re gonna play for you also and a really special thing we’re gonna do for you. So alright, what are we here for?!,” Strait said before launching into his 2011 hit “Here For A Good Time.”
The excitement doesn’t end with this record-breaking concert. George Strait has four more shows lined up for this year: June 29 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, July 13 at Ford Field in Detroit, July 20 at Soldier Field in Chicago, and December 9 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
During the performance, fans filled every available accommodation within a 40-mile radius, from hotels to Airbnbs and bed and breakfasts. Strait took a moment to honor Sgt. Tiffany Baker through the Military Warriors Support Foundation’s Homes 4 Wounded Heroes Program, making the evening even more special.
While Strait’s show marked the largest ticketed musical performance, some other events have drawn even larger crowds. For example, the New York Philharmonic attracted an audience of 800,000 people for a free concert in Central Park in 1986.
Fans are eagerly awaiting George Strait’s new album “Cowboys and Dreamers,” which will be available on September 6 via MCA Records. It’s safe to say that the King of Country continues to captivate audiences old and new with his timeless music and unforgettable live performances.
