George Strait Named Texas Musician Of The Year

Photo Credit: Vanessa Gavalya

George Strait will be honored today (May 18) by the Texas State Legislature as they officially appoint him 2017’s State Musician of the Year at a ceremony in Austin, Texas. The general public nominates candidates for the honor, and recipients are selected from those nominees by the Texas Commission on the Arts through several committee processes.

“It’s a great honor for me to be selected as Texas State Musician of 2017 and join this very prestigious list of other honorees,” proclaimed Strait. “I’m a very proud Texan and love to sing the praises of our great state every chance I get. Thank you very, very much.”

Selections for the State Musician honor are made every two years. Other artists holding the renowned title include Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons.

Strait adds the accolade to his growing list of honors and achievements which include his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006, selling more than 70 million albums, having 33 albums go Platinum or multi-Platinum, earning more than 60 major entertainment industry awards and having 60 singles go No. 1 on the charts.

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Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.

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