George Strait farewell,U.S. country star George Strait is just 60, but he’s announced that his upcoming tour will be his last.On Wednesday, he told a news conference in Nashville he will make a final tour in 2013 and 2014 before retiring his tour bus.
The man known as the “king of country” says he may continue recording and make occasional live appearances.
"I just don't want to go to the point where I show up and nobody else does, you know?" said Strait who has seldom been out of the limelight since 1981’s Unwound.
"It's been great. I've been doing it for 30-some odd years and I've loved it. …. It's just the hectic part about touring and travelling and bam bam bam bam. I just feel like it's time for me to try something else."
Strait’s retirement comes just weeks after another country superstar, George Jones, announced he will wind up his career with a farewell tour. But Jones is 81.
Strait has had 50 No. 1 hits on the country charts, including If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin', Ace in the Hole, Ocean Front Property and All My Ex's Live in Texas.
His neo-traditionalist country music draws on the style of older stars, such as Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell, featuring fiddle and steel guitar and very little rock guitar.
He has 21 dates through the U.S. in 2013, beginning in Lubbock, Texas in January ending in San Antonio, near his hometown, in June. Martina McBride will join him for much of the tour.
"I hope people show up because we're going to a lot of the places we've been to for so long, from year to year, and it's kind of like saying goodbye to that," Strait said. "It's going to be a little emotional."
The man known as the “king of country” says he may continue recording and make occasional live appearances.
"I just don't want to go to the point where I show up and nobody else does, you know?" said Strait who has seldom been out of the limelight since 1981’s Unwound.
"It's been great. I've been doing it for 30-some odd years and I've loved it. …. It's just the hectic part about touring and travelling and bam bam bam bam. I just feel like it's time for me to try something else."
Strait’s retirement comes just weeks after another country superstar, George Jones, announced he will wind up his career with a farewell tour. But Jones is 81.
Strait has had 50 No. 1 hits on the country charts, including If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin', Ace in the Hole, Ocean Front Property and All My Ex's Live in Texas.
His neo-traditionalist country music draws on the style of older stars, such as Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell, featuring fiddle and steel guitar and very little rock guitar.
He has 21 dates through the U.S. in 2013, beginning in Lubbock, Texas in January ending in San Antonio, near his hometown, in June. Martina McBride will join him for much of the tour.
"I hope people show up because we're going to a lot of the places we've been to for so long, from year to year, and it's kind of like saying goodbye to that," Strait said. "It's going to be a little emotional."