All eyes were on George Strait as he took the stage at the 2024 CMA Awards to accept the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
After a series of tribute performances by stars such as Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton, Strait shared a series of greetings to his fans, friends and loved ones, including Norma Strait, his wife of more than 50 years.
“I want to thank the CMAs for adding my name to the incredible list of artists who carry the iconic Willie Nelson name,” said Strait, 72. “I want to thank all these great artists who have performed some of my songs that I’ve recorded over the years . It’s amazing to hear you all do them. I’m so glad I got them before you.”
Strait went on to thank his family in the audience, namely his wife, son Bubba (43), daughter-in-law Tamara and grandchildren Jilliann (8) and Harvey (12).
“It’s so great to have you all here,” he said. “But especially Norma, who has supported me for just under 53 years in December. And it’s been an amazing 53 years.”
George Strait and Norma Strait at the 2024 CMA Awards in Nashville.
Theo Wargo/Getty
Elsewhere in his speech, Strait thanked Jesus, his fans, record label and band, and also expressed gratitude to late members of his inner circle, including Erv Woolsey, who managed the star for nearly 50 years and died in March, for his long road manager Tom Foote, who died in April, and his violinist Gene Elders, who also died in March.
Beyoncé Dumped as Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson Lead 2024 CMA Awards Nominations — See the Full List!
Prior to his speech, Strait was treated to a number of performances from some of the world’s biggest stars. Lainey Wilson opened with “Amarillo By Morning” and Jamey Johnson followed with “Give It Away.”
Miranda Lambert and Parker McCollum then teamed up for “Troubadour,” and Strait eventually came out to perform “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame” with Chris Stapleton.
— Cheers, brother! Strait said after the performance.
The recognition comes after an extremely successful career for the singer, who has been dubbed the “King of Country.”
In the four decades since his debut album in 1981, he has released over 30 platinum or multi-platinum records. He has also produced 60 No. 1 singles and is the only artist in history to have a Top 10 hit every year for more than 30 years. In 2024, he released his 31st studio album, Cowboys and dreamers.
This year, Strait also broke the record for the biggest ticketed concert in US history with more than 110,000 in attendance at his show in College Station, Texas, surpassing the Grateful Dead’s long-standing title of more than 107,000 at a show in New Jersey in 1977.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(665x0:667x2)/george-strait-prebit5-080224-608d4f99774f4526b025d7da6d65900b.jpg)
George Strait performing in Fresno, California in 1985.
Paul Natkin/Getty
Simone Biles, Jeff Bridges, Katharine McPhee and more will perform at the 2024 CMA Awards.
During that time, Strait received a number of accolades, including 16 Grammy Award nominations and one win for Best Country Album in 2008. Troubadour. He also has a string of CMA honors, including 17 wins and 83 nominations, making him the most nominated artist in the awards’ history. Among his victories, the singer was named entertainer of the year three times, in 1989, 1990 and 2013.
Wednesday’s lifetime honor comes a week after it was first revealed that Strait would be the last artist to receive the award, which was first introduced in 2012 and has since been awarded to Kenny Rogers (2013), Johnny Cash (2015), Dolly Parton (2016), Kris Kristofferson (2019), Charley Pride (2020), Loretta Lynn (2021) and Alan Jackson (2022).
See all of PEOPLE’s complete CMA Awards here.
Kelsea Ballerini, Jelly Roll, Luke Combs and more to perform at the 2024 CMA Awards.
“There have been few artists who have been as authentically Texan and authentically country as George Strait, and country music fans around the world have been better for it,” CMA chief executive Sarah Trahern said in a statement at the time.
She added, “As a three-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and the most nominated artist of all time, he serves as an inspiration and icon to many of the great, new artists we know today. I am thrilled to be presenting him with this well-deserved honor.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The 58th Annual CMA Awards air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 20 from 8-11pm on ABC. The show airs the next day on Hulu.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education