The show took place in Arlington, Texas, on June 7, 2014, where he played for over 100,000 fans. It featured an all-star cast of country singers including Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Faith Hill, among others, and it proves that even with his last major tour stop, Strait is still the “King of Country Music.”
Aside from the actual full concert, his DVD featured bonus commentary from “King George” himself, as well as interview with his special musical guests. Throughout his illustrious career in music, Strait has secured over 60 songs at the top of the Billboard charts, and has sold over 68 million albums. He was also inducted into the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Strait opened his set with his classic hit “Check Yes Or No,” thus taking his fans on a trip down memory lane, and it was followed by “A Fire I Can’t Put Out,” as well as “Love Bug” and “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind,” where the latter two were collaborations with fellow Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill.
Jason Aldean joined him on “Fool Hearted Memory” and “Nobody In His Right Mind Would’ve Left Her,” while he performed “Arkansas Dave” with his son, Bubba Strait.
“I Saw God Today” was a poignant tune, and Eric Church soared with Strait on such vocals as “Cowboys Like Us” and “Easy Come, Easy Go.”
The highlight duets on the DVD were his versions of “Jackson” with country queen Martina McBride and “Golden Ring,” where they paid homage to such greats as Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, and George Jones and Tammy Wynette respectively.
After “Give It Away” and “I Got A Car,” it was Faith Hill’s turn to lend her sweet vocals, and she collaborated with Strait on such tunes as “A Showman’s Life” and “Let’s Fall To Pieces Together.” Fellow traditionalist Alan Jackson was superb on “Amarillo By Morning” and their classic duet “Murder On Music Row.”
Miranda Lambert was delightful on “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls” and “Run,” while the entire venue’s favorite tune was his upbeat collaboration with Kenny Chesney on “The Fireman.”
He invited all of his special guests to join him for a grand finale on “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” and he closed with the title track of his tour, “The Cowboy Rides Away,” which was a bittersweet moment.
The Verdict
Overall, this DVD is a must for anybody that loves the music of George Strait or traditional country music, since Strait is one of the genre’s most iconic voices. This collection garners an A rating, since it gives the viewer a front row seat to his final arena tour.
