George Strait announced Tuesday that he'll play four concerts next year at the new Las Vegas Arena, and release a new album, "Cold Beer Conversation," this Friday.
The 63-year-old country music legend finished up his record-setting "Cowboy Rides Away" just 15 months ago, saying at the time it was his last big tour — but certainly not his retirement.
"Some people that I have told that I'd be doing some dates in Vegas in 2016 at the Las Vegas Arena, they go: 'Well, you retired. I thought you retired.' Ooh, I just wanna grab 'em and shake 'em. I never said that," he said with a pearly white cowboy smile,
The Associated Press reported.
Strait said he'll play the 20,000-seat arena April 22-23 and Sept. 9-10, 2016, and that there was a possibility of more shows being announced in the future. Tickets will go on sale October 20 for $75-$200. Kacey Musgraves was chosen as the show opener.
For those who can't wait, he's also releasing his new album exclusively on Apple Music and in Walmart stores this week.
The new album features the track "Everything I See" with his son Bubba.
"I'm so proud he took an interest in the music business," Strait said in an
interview with USA Today. "For the longest time, he didn't. His focus was rodeo. That's all he wanted to do. Once he decided to move on, he decided to get into music. He took it pretty seriously and pushed me back into writing songs, as well."
The song, he said, was inspired by the passing of his 91-year-old father, John Byron Strait, in 2013.
"I wish I would have stuck a phone in his shirt, as ridiculous as that may sound," said Strait.
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