Iconic musician George Strait is being presented the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award during “The 58th Annual CMA Awards” on Wednesday.
Strait’s career spans over 40 years and includes 31 studio albums with 60 No. 1 hit singles.
The 72-year-old Texas native has received 83 CMA Award nominations; the most ever for a country artist.
“There have been few other artists as authentically Texas and authentically country as George Strait, and country music fans all over the world have been better for it,” Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, said. “As a three-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and the most nominated artist of all time, he serves as an inspiration and icon to many of the great, new artists we know today.”
Luke Bryan, the ceremony’s co-host, called Strait “The King of Country Music” during the show’s opening.
Previous musicians honored with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award for their musical contributions, humanitarian and philanthropic efforts, and record sales include Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Kenny Rogers.