Miranda Lambert Pays Tribute To George Strait At CMAs
George Strait was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at last night’s (11/20) CMA Awards in Nashville. Singing his songs in tribute were Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Jamey Johnson, Parker McCollum, and Miranda Lambert.
Before the show got underway, Miranda talked about what George Strait meant to her. She said, “George Strait, I mean, he’s one of my biggest influences, especially growing up in Texas. I mean, he’s the ‘King of Country,’ but he’s the king to me because I’ve heard him on the radio since I was three years old.”
She added, “I mean, George has been somebody that’s so consistent and constantly reinventing himself and has had one of the most incredible careers. Not to mention that he’s really a nice person, which is just like the cherry on top.”
Strait’s family, including his wife, Norma, son Bubba, daughter-in-law, and his grandchildren, were all there for the night as the country superstar took in the award show before accepting his honor thanking fans, the CMA, and his family.
Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer said before the show, “There have been few other artists as authentically Texas and authentically country as George Strait, and country music fans all over the world have been better for it.”
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George’s career, spanning more than 40 years, includes 60 Number One singles and boasts 33 Platinum or Multi-Platinum-selling albums. Strait has sold more than 70 million albums, and earned more than 60 major entertainment industry awards. His 31 studio albums, three live albums, and 11 compilation albums have led to one of Country Music’s most decorated careers with three CMA Entertainer of the Year Awards (1989, 1990, 2013), 17 CMA Award wins, the most-nominated artist with 83 total CMA Award nominations and membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
The CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in country music. The award recognizes those who have achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales, and public representation at the highest level.
The artist receiving this award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre over the course of many years and has proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on fans and industry alike.
Previous recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award include Willie Nelson (2012), Kenny Rogers (2013), Johnny Cash (2015), Dolly Parton (2016), Kris Kristofferson (2019), Charley Pride (2020), Loretta Lynn (2021) and Alan Jackson (2022).
