At the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, country royalty gathered for a night to remember—an all-star tribute concert honoring none other than the legendary George Strait. The stage sparkled with performances from icons like Blake Shelton, Lee Ann Womack, Alan Jackson, Faith Hill, Brooks & Dunn, Toby Keith, and many more, all paying homage to the King of Country.
George watched the evening unfold from the wings, joined by his wife Norma, son Bubba, and daughter-in-law Tamara—a proud family moment as one incredible tribute rolled in after another.
While most artists performed songs from George’s massive catalog of hits, some—like Faith Hill and Martina McBride—chose to honor him by singing other timeless classics. Faith tackled Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” and Martina delivered a powerful take on Garth Brooks’ “The Dance.”
But one of the night’s most memorable moments came from Taylor Swift, who at just 19 years old was already becoming a standout star in country music. Before her performance, Taylor shared a sweet story about being George’s opening act on tour back in 2007 when she was only 16.
“I had never sung in an arena before,” Taylor recalled with a smile. “So I nervously asked George if he had any advice on performing in the round.”
George’s laid-back response?
“Yeah, I do.”
When Taylor pressed him for more, he simply said:
“Just do it for about 25 years, and it’ll feel real natural.”
The crowd laughed, and then Taylor launched into her personal favorite Strait song—“Run”—a 2001 ballad full of longing and heartache.
Her rendition was soft, emotional, and deeply respectful—fans still share it widely online today. With millions of views across platforms, many consider it one of the best covers of “Run” ever performed.
“Run,” written by Anthony Smith and Tony Lane, originally came out as the lead single from George Strait’s The Road Less Traveled album. While it never quite reached No. 1, it did climb all the way to No. 2 on the country charts—just behind hits like Toby Keith’s “I Wanna Talk About Me,” Alan Jackson’s “Where Were You,” and Steve Holy’s “Good Morning Beautiful.”
Even though “Run” didn’t top the chart, it clearly holds a special place in the hearts of fans—and now, thanks to Taylor Swift’s tribute, a new generation has fallen in love with it too.
