George Strait drops new album, will play Las Vegas in 2016

Getting his start in Las Vegas playing at casino’s including the New Frontier, the Golden Nugget and the Mirage, Strait will be the first of many icons to perform in the state-of-the-art Las Vegas Arena.

Strait said goodbye to touring with his the Cowboy Rides Away Tour, which kicked off in 2013 and wrapped up in 2014, taking him on one final rodeo at some of the most important concert venues of his career. He’s going to play Las Vegas, and he has new music. He ended his farewell tour at AT&T Stadium in June of past year , before a record crowd of 104,793 fans. Also announced in today’s press conference, Strait will perform a series of exclusive worldwide concert engagements at the new Las Vegas Arena opening in April 2016.

“Every time I go in the studio, I want to make the best album that I’ve ever done in my life”, he said.

The King of Country Music announced two big surprises today: a new album and a return to the stage for the first time in nearly two years.

The news of his concerts comes a day before Strait is set to release a new single called “Cold Beer Conversation“. “I’ve been working on my golf game and doing a little bit of fishing”.

In 2009, the Academy of Country Music named Strait its Artist of the Decade, and filmed an all-star salute at the MGM Grand, which aired as a CBS special. “I wanted to do a couple of dates and go home for a month or so and then come back”.

Here’s a YouTube video of this morning’s announcement with George.

Strait said that fellow Texan Kacey Musgraves will be the support act for the Las Vegas shows.

“In 1981, when I signed with MCA Records, it seems like yesterday”, Strait recalls.

Strait lays claim to 60 No. 1 country hits over the years and more than 100 million record sales.