George Strait Returns To The Stage, Honors Merle Haggard

George Strait returned to the stage last night and honored Merle Haggard. It was the first time Strait had performed live since 2014 when he gave his final tour. In all fairness, he never claimed he wouldn’t perform again, only that he was finished touring. So begins his Strait to Vegas Tour, a series of shows. To country music fans, it was no surprise that Strait dedicated a portion of his concert to honoring the career and memory of country great Merle Haggard.

“It was such a sad day for all of us because he was such a huge influence on me and all the guys up here. It’s so sad that we’ll never be able to see Merle perform live again. His music will live on forever.”

According to Rolling Stone magazine, George touched his audience with a medley tribute comprised of three songs: “Mama Tried,” “The Fightin’ Side of Me,” and “My Life’s Been Grand.” Haggard passed away on April 6, 2016, which, according to the star’s website, was his 79th birthday. His musical inspirations were Lefty Frizzell and Jimmie Rodgers. He went on to become one of the most influential stars in country music, and a huge influence on George Strait.

Strait’s fans were thrilled by his performance of many of his classics. He delighted his audience by announcing that he’ll be performing “a few more nights this year.” The concert at the new T-Mobile Arena was sold out, which was typical of one of his shows, where he played to a crowd of 19,222 adoring fans. According to Taste of Country, Singer Kasey Musgrave opened for George as she will for the remainder of his tour, which includes additional dates in April, along with more performances in September, December, and February of 2017. Each of the shows are predicted to also sell out. A lifelong, self-proclaimed George Strait fan, she was honored to be a part of his show.

“I cannot tell you what an honor it is for me to be here tonight. Thank you so much for showing up early. It means a lot to this girl from Texas who is a massive George Strait fan.”

George Strait has always shared a warm relationship with his fans. He’s never been one to light the stage with pyrotechnics and other showstopping features, but rather steps humbly to the microphone and opens his heart and his vocal chords with those he appreciates most. George Strait, as always, took the stage in his signature jeans, Wrangler shirt, boots, and cowboy hat to an enthusiastic crowd. He opened the show with two of his past hits, “Here For a Good Time” and “She’ll Leave You with a Smile.” During the show, Strait brought back many of the classic favorites, such as “Amarillo by Morning,” “All my Exes Live in Texas,” “Fireman, ” and “Ocean Front Property.” The audience erupted in standing ovations multiple times, and George responded each time with smiles, nods, and his traditional hand over his heart to show his love and appreciation. The audience enthusiastically welcomed Strait, and he appeared to be just as happy to see them.

“It’s so good to be back. I miss all y’all. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long, long time.”

Strait and his band, the “Ace in the Hole Band,” left the stage only to return moments later after the crowd shouted and cheered for an encore. Humble as always, he was delighted to agree. He closed the show with his beloved song, “The Cowboy Rides Away,” which was fittingly the name of his final tour in 2014 when he retired from touring on the road. George Strait returns to a warm welcome from grateful fans. His residency in Vegas provides fans with an opportunity to see him perform one last time if they missed his previous tour.