George Strait Sets Additional Strait to Vegas Shows

George Strait has announced four additional Strait to Vegas shows, with the 69-year-old to return to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for two dates in December 2021 and two in February 2022. Caitlyn Smith will serve as opener for the Dec. 3 and 4 shows, while Tenille Townes will open the Feb. 11 and 12 dates.

Tickets for the newly-announced concerts go on sale on Friday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. PT on Axs.com and pre-sale starts on Wednesday, Aug. 18. On Friday, Aug. 13, Strait played his first concert since February 2020 with a Strait to Vegas show. "The Ace in the Hole Band and I have been looking forward to this day for a year and a half," the singer said in a statement prior to the show, via Country Now. "I cannot wait to see Vegas and all of my great fans once again. It's been way too long. We will finally ride again. See you soon."

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Strait had a famous guest in the audience over the weekend, with Kelly Clarkson encouraging her followers to attend one of the country icon's shows. "Y'all, run, don't walk to any George Strait show coming to a venue near you!" she captioned a photo of the stage. "He is still the #GOAT."

In addition to his Strait to Vegas shows, Strait has a number of concert dates scheduled for 2021 including headlining both weekends of Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 1 and 8. He will also perform at ATLive festival in Atlanta on Nov. 5 with Eric Church for their "The King & The Chief" show and will play at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Nov. 13 and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on March 20, 2022.

In early 2020, Strait underwent knee replacement surgery ahead of what was scheduled to be a year of multiple stadium shows. "I had a knee replaced right before the quarantine," he told Billboard via email. "I had been planning that for a while. It went very well but I had to rehab on my own due to the obvious conditions. I'm ready to go again now though. All good."

The 68-year-old added that he was dealing with not being able to play live "not very well." "I took almost two years off after The Cowboy Rides Away Tour [which ended in 2014]," he said. "I did that on purpose. I wasn't ready for this. I was really enjoying playing again at a pace I could handle. To have this horrible thing come up and slap us all right in the face really sucks. I can't wait to play with my band again in front of thousands of people. I'm addicted to that."