George Strait added a Texas-sized honor to his list of accomplishments on March 23. The Lone Star State native was named the “2018 Texan of the Year” by the Texas Legislative Conference.
George was recognized for his many contributions to the state of Texas throughout the years, particularly within the last year for his role leading recovery efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. George’s Hand in Hand benefit concert helped raise more than $22 million toward hurricane recovery.
“I’m so proud to have grown up in the great state of Texas and so proud to be here today to accept this unbelievable honor,” said George. “Texas is a big place filled with amazingly talented, smart people. How’d I end up here? Last year was a tough one for our great state. We’re still continuing to recover and with the help of the many loyal, kindhearted Texans, we will get these communities back on their feet again. It’s never surprising, but always amazing how in times of need, how generous the American people can be. I’ve had a great career and always been supported by the people here in Texas. This great honor is the tip-top of my list.”
George was presented with the award at the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce. He joins an array of prominent past honorees who have won the award, including George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, T Boone Pickens, Ray Benson, David Robinson and more.
It would hardly be a stretch to consider George the greatest country music artist of all time. He certainly has the numbers: 44 Billboard No. 1 singles (60 across all charts), the most of any artist in any genre of music, and 22 CMA awards, more than any other country entertainer. And few can match The Cowboy, as he’s often referred to, for longevity. He’s been a star practically since his debut in 1981 with “Unwound.” George has been a model of consistency since that time, with 33 platinum albums to prove it.
