You’re Gonna Do What George? – Today In Country Music History [VIDEO]

2012   Say It Ain't So George, Say It Ain't So

George Strait announced plans for his final major tour, The Cowboy Rides Away Tour. The tour dates would keep him on the road through summer of 2014. He did stress it was not a retirement announcement, that he would perform select shows after the tour and would continue recording and writing new music.

The tour started on January 18, 2013 in Lubbock, Texas and was divided into two legs: 21 concerts in 2013 and 27 concerts in 2014, for a total of 48 concerts. The tour ended in Arlington, Texas, on June 7, 2014. The concerts were set mainly in arenas with six stadium dates included, and typically consisted of a one-hour opening act, which was Martina McBride for most of the 2013 concerts, followed by a half hour intermission. Strait then performed a two-hour set of about 33 songs representing all phases of his music career.

Wearing his usual black Resistol cowboy hat, pressed Wrangler jeans, a button-down Western shirt, large silver belt buckle, and low heel cowboy boots, Strait performed in the round with the eleven-member Ace in the Hole Band distributed centrally on the stage with Strait singing from each corner of the square stage in two-song segments.

The Ace in the Hole Band consists of Terry Hale (bass), Mike Daily (steel guitar), Ron Huckaby (piano), Rick McRae (electric guitar, fiddle), Benny McArthur (electric guitar, fiddle), Mike Kennedy (drums), Gene Elders (fiddle), Joe Manuel (acoustic guitar), John Michael Whitby (keyboards), with Marty Slayton and Thom Flora (background vocals). Strait played a black Taylor PS10ce Dreadnought Presentation Series guitar on every song.

Strait's setlist typically consisted of a mix of his most popular recordings and performance songs, including uptempo hits like "Here for a Good Time", "Ocean Front Property", "Check Yes or No", "Marina Del Rey", "How 'Bout Them Cowgirls", "Give It Away", "Amarillo by Morning", and "Troubadour", offset by softer ballads like "I Saw God Today", "The Chair", "Living for the Night", "I Can Still Make Cheyenne", and "I'll Always Remember You".

Strait's set was briefly interrupted by a ten-minute presentation given by Retired General Leroy Sisco of the Military Warriors Support Foundation to honor a wounded serviceman with the gift of a house. Strait typically performed three to five encore songs, including "All My Ex's Live in Texas" and "Folsum Prison Blues", one of a handful of cover songs he adds to the set each concert. And of course, Strait closed each show with "The Cowboy Rides Away".

The Cowboy Rides Away Tour closed with three stadium concerts. At the final concert on June 7, 2014 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Martina McBride joined an all-star bill that included Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack, and Asleep at the Wheel.

A live album recorded from the final concert in Arlington titled The Cowboy Rides Away: Live from AT&T Stadium was released September 16, 2014. On August 29, 2014, the CMT broadcast a two-hour concert special of the event titled. The DVD is set to be release November 11th.