Posted on: February 24, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

ear after year, Superstar George Strait is known for delivering a cast of incredible talent with every memorable live show and this year will be no exception. Previously announced opener Mercury Nashville recording artist and two-time Dancing With The Stars champion, Julianne Hough, will be joined by hit singer/songwriter Blake Shelton on most shows.

Multi-platinum selling Warner Bros. Records recording artist Blake Shelton has released five studio albums, his most recent Startin’ Fires in November 2008. His current hit single, “She Wouldn’t Be Gone,” is number three on the country singles charts and climbing, the follow up to his multi-week #1 with “Home.” Shelton’s hits include his six-week #1 debut single, “Austin,” and three additional multi-week #1 singles with “The Baby,” “Some Beach” and “Home.”

“I have the utmost respect for George Strait and to be invited to be on his tour is a huge honor, he truly is a living legend. Thank you George Strait for this incredible opportunity,” says Blake Shelton.

Julianne Hough recently topped both the country and Top 200 charts with her self-titled debut album, as well as with the infectious debut single “That Song In My Head.” Her first holiday album, The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection, was a top-selling Christmas release for Target stores.

Recently, Strait discussed his career success by acknowledging “My fans are the most loyal fans in the world. The Best! Period. A lot of them who started coming to see my shows years ago are still coming today and now some of them are even bringing their kids with them. It just doesn’t get any better than that.”

Strait will kick off his tour May 9th in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas as he helps the citizens of Hidalgo, TX celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Dodge Arena. It will be Strait’s first visit to Hidalgo and his first foray in many years to the beautiful South Texas Valley.

In July, Strait will cross the border to Canada to perform at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary, AB and the Craven Country Jamboree in Craven, SK. Strait will also perform at Country Fest 2009 in Cadott, WI, Music Fest in Milwaukee and will return to the Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, WY for a special one night performance. A full list of touring dates is below.

George Strait recently received four Grammy nominations including “Best Country Album” for Troubadour, “Best Male Country Vocal Performance” for “Troubadour”, “Best Country Collaboration with Vocals” for “Shiftwork” with Kenny Chesney and “House of Cash” with Patty Loveless.

He is one of the most successful and prolific country music artists of all time. With a career that spans more than 25 years, Strait holds the record for the most Number One hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and currently has 56 number one singles to his credit. He has sold more than 67 million records, garnering him 32 different platinum or multi-platinum albums resulting in the most RIAA platinum certification in country music and the third in all genres, behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley.

On April 6, Strait will receive the Academy’s ARTIST OF THE DECADE award in recognition of his record-breaking career. Only four other acts have been honored as ARTIST OF THE DECADE in the Academy’s history, including Marty Robbins in 1969, Loretta Lynn in 1979, Alabama in 1988 and Garth Brooks in 1998. Strait has won 19 Academy of Country Music Awards including “Entertainer of the Year” in 1990. At this year’s 42nd Annual CMA Awards, George became the artist with the most CMA Awards in history with the addition of Single of the Year for “I Saw God Today” and Album of the Year for Troubadour, both co-produced by Strait and Tony Brown. These two trophies and two additional for producing bring Strait’s tally to 22, eclipsing Brooks & Dunn’s previous record of 19 Awards.

GEORGE STRAIT 2009 TOUR SCHEDULE
Additional dates will be announced at www.georgestrait.com

* Dates Julianne Hough will not appear
** Dates Blake Shelton will not appear

Date City Venue
5/9 Hidalgo, TX Dodge Arena **
5/15 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
5/16 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
5/22 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
5/23 Tinley Park, IL (Chicago) First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
5/29 Holmdel, NJ P.N.C. Bank Center
5/30 Boston, MA Tweeter Center
6/12 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

6/13 Washington, DC Nissan Pavillion

6/28 Cadott, WI Country Fest 2009* **
6/29 Milwaukee, WI Music Fest 2009
7/11 Calgary, AB Calgary Stampede * **
7/12 Craven, SK Craven Country Jamboree * **
7/17 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
7/18 Cheyenne, WY Cheyenne Frontier Days **

7/24 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

7/25 Pittsburgh, PA Post-Gazette Pavillion

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