“The King of Country Music,” George Strait, is now “The King of the Concert.”
When Strait took the stage at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field in College Station on Saturday, he broke the record for the biggest-selling show in the U.S. ever.
The “Amarillo by Morning” singer performed in front of 110,905 fans in South Texas, breaking the attendance record set by the Grateful Dead nearly 50 years ago.
In 1977, 107,019 fans packed into Raceway Park in New Jersey to see a Dead show. Strait surpassed that number on Saturday, selling nearly 4,000 tickets, according to Billboard.
“We got some Aggie’s out there? Oh yeah! I’m ashamed to say this, but this is my first time to ever be in Kyle Field… damn,” Strait told the crowd. “Just invite me back, I’ll come!”
He told his supporters they were in for a surprise in a message he posted on X, the previous Twitter, prior to the concert, telling them to arrive early and remain hydrated.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott was in the audience and watched Strait debut two new songs, “MIA in MIA” and “The Little Things,” from his upcoming album, Cowboys and Dreamers.
“Unbelievable concert by the King, George Strait,” Abbott wrote on X. “Largest packed house for a concern in America. Ever.”
Sen. Ted Cruz wrote, “Took my daughter Caroline to see @GeorgeStrait at Kyle Field @TAMU tonight. Great fun. Spectacular concert.”
Parker McCollum and Catie Offerman joined King with Kyle Field as special guests.
He’s no stranger to setting and breaking records.
Strait has more No. 1 singles than any artist in any genre.
Additionally, Strait has achieved the most No. 1 albums in country music history, including 20 of his 60 No. 1 hits.
But his record doesn’t end there. He has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, earning him a place as one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Strait has 13 multi-platinum and 38 gold albums to his name. His 1992 Pure Country catalog has been certified six times platinum, and his best-selling album is the 1995 classic Strait Out of the Box.
