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George Strait announced his “The Cowboy Rides Away Tour" this week at a press conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.
It will be his last tour, he said. He told fans he'll still record and release studio albums and play the occasional select dates, but future tours are out of the picture.
“This is going to be a very special, emotional tour for me. Everywhere we’re going holds fond memories and I’m looking forward to paying my respects," he said in a media statement. The Texas-born musician turned 60 this year.
His tour kicks off next year and ends in 2014, reported USA Today.
"I just don't want to go to the point where I show up and nobody else does, you know?" he told the Associated Press.
"It's been great. I've been doing it for 30-some odd years and I've loved it. Sometimes I've not liked it as much. And here lately it's just the walking out onstage part, that's all great. I'm still loving that. It's just the hectic part about touring and traveling and bam, bam, bam, bam. I just feel like it's time for me to try something else."
Pollstar listed the dates. Martina McBride will open all shows:
Jan. 18 – Lubbock, Texas, United Spirit Arena
Jan. 19 – Oklahoma City, Okla., Chesapeake Energy Arena Ticket prices to be announced. Tickets go on sale Oct. 12. For more information, visit
tulsaworld.com/chesapeakearena.
Jan. 25 – Salt Lake City, Utah, EnergySolutions Arena
Jan. 26 – Nampa, Idaho, Idaho Center Arena
Jan. 31 – Sacramento, Calif., Power Balance Pavilion
Feb. 1 – Fresno, Calif., Save Mart Center
Feb. 2 – Las Vegas, Nev., MGM Grand Garden Arena
Feb. 15 – Saint Paul, Minn., Xcel Energy Center
Feb. 16 – Grand Forks, N.D., Alerus Center
Feb. 22 – Buffalo, N.Y., First Niagara Center
Feb. 23 – Hartford, Conn., XL Center
March 1 – Knoxville, Tenn., Thompson-Boling Arena
March 2 – Lexington, Ky., Rupp Arena
March 17 – Houston, Texas, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo / “RodeoHouston”
March 22 – Greenville, S.C., Bi-Lo Center
March 23 – Greensboro, N.C., Greensboro Coliseum
April 5 – Albuquerque, N.M., Pit Arena
April 6 – Las Cruces, N.M., Pan American Center
April 12 – N. Little Rock, Ark., Verizon Arena
April 13 – New Orleans, La., New Orleans Arena
