George Strait Reveals The Secret To His Longevity In The Music Industry 

Country music legend, George Strait has earned the title, “King of Country Music,” for his countless number of achievements and recognition over the course of his 30+ years in the business. In doing so, he has also become a role model that many singer/songwriters look up to in their own musical journeys. So the question is, what’s his secret to maintaining a critically acclaimed career that continues to evolve to date?

During an interview with Cowboys & Indians Magazine, Strait used his years of experience and wisdom to form his best advice on achieving longevity.

“Staying focused and believing that what you’re doing is good is important; you have to believe in yourself,” he told the outlet. “I always felt like I knew what worked for me and what didn’t. That might not be the key to longevity – but who can honestly even say what might be?”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by George Strait (@georgestrait)

While Strait has now joined the select pool of influential artists, he got his start following the footsteps of other country music icons such as Merle Haggard and George Jones. 

“I just always knew that I wanted a career like Merle Haggard or George Jones. I wanted to still be relevant when I got older. Those guys are still relevant and always will be in my book,” he added. 

Considering the fact that he is following close behind these stars who have left a lifelong influence on the genre, it’s safe to say that Strait is definitely making his younger self proud.

At this point in his career, the “Armadillo By Morning” singer can proudly say he has earned a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame, holds 60 chart-topping singles – more than any other country artist, and sold more than 70 million albums, including 33 Platinum or multi-Platinum albums, which ranks Strait third across all genres, falling behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. 

In addition, he has earned more than 60 major entertainment industry awards and remains the only artist in history to consecutively have a Top 10 hit each year over three decades.

With a potential new album in the works, George Strait is approaching his grand return to touring for a six-show stadium run in the spring. Last year, he resigned with MCA Records and felt inspired at the potential of adding new music to his impressive catalog and returning to the stage for a brief stint of shows.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by George Strait (@georgestrait)

2023 Tour

Strait’s upcoming trek will mark his first official tour since his two-year The Cowboy Rides Away Tour in 2014. He spent more than 30 years touring before making the decision to take a step back in 2012. In that time, he has performed a limited number of individual arena, festival and stadium shows, in addition to extending his Strait to Vegas series at T-Mobile Arena in 2022. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by George Strait (@georgestrait)

The news was announced exclusively with Billboard on Monday, Oct. 24. The outlet shared that these shows will mark the 89x platinum artist’s “most extensive stadium run in nine years.” 

Strait will be joined on the road by Little Big Town and Chris Stapleton as he makes his way from Glendale, AZ on May 6 to Tampa, FL on August 5. Along the way, he’ll also make stops in Seattle, Denver, Milwaukee, and Nashville.