George Strait kicked off his 2025 stadium tour in style this weekend, opening the first show of the run at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia—home of the reigning Super Bowl champs, the Eagles. But it wasn’t just the venue or the sold-out crowd that made the night unforgettable.
The real jaw-dropper? Strait surprised everyone by performing “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” live for the first time in decades. And yes, he absolutely nailed it.
While King George is known to throw in a Waylon Jennings song here and there—like his usual go-to, “Waymore’s Blues”—this time, he dusted off a true outlaw classic. He even admitted to the crowd that he probably hadn’t performed the song since the ‘70s… maybe the ‘80s at best. Either way, it had been a long time, and fans were here for it.
“I mean, it’s just such a good oldie and I know you’re gonna wanna sing along with it,” Strait said with a grin. “I don’t know, we probably haven’t done it since the ’70s, maybe we did it once in the ’80s. It’s called ‘Luckenbach, Texas.’”
The Story Behind the Song Strait Brought Back to Life
Originally released in 1977 on Ol’ Waylon, Jennings’ Luckenbach, Texas featured none other than Willie Nelson and became one of the defining songs of the outlaw country movement. The tune was written by Chips Moman and Bobby Emmons, and as legend has it, Emmons pitched it to Jennings simply because his name was in the lyrics. Apparently, that was all it took to get Waylon on board.
Funny enough, neither Jennings nor the writers had ever actually been to Luckenbach at the time. Waylon later confessed in his 1996 autobiography:
“I knew it was a hit song, even though I didn’t like it, and still don’t.”
He did understand why it struck such a chord with people:
“Every state has a Luckenbach; a place to get away from things.”
Even his longtime drummer, Richie Albright, remembered Waylon joking about the song during later sessions, saying:
“Just remind me when I’m picking singles from now on that I got to sing that mother****** every night.”
Despite his mixed feelings, “Luckenbach, Texas” became one of Jennings’ most beloved hits. And the Ol’ Waylon album it came from made history as the first country album to ship Gold—meaning it sold 500,000 copies before it even hit shelves. It later went Platinum and topped the Billboard country chart for 13 weeks.
Strait’s Voice, Jennings’ Legacy, and a Moment to Remember
At 72, George Strait still sounds as smooth and strong as ever. His voice is like a warm Texas breeze—timeless and comforting. When he sang “Luckenbach, Texas” in Philly, it wasn’t just a cover—it felt like a full-circle moment. One country legend paying tribute to another, reminding us all why these songs still matter.
Very few artists today could do a Waylon song justice, but George Strait isn’t just any artist. He brought the song back to life, and for fans lucky enough to be there, it was pure magic.
Let’s just hope it’s not another few decades before he sings it again.
