Jamey Johnson, Chris Stapleton Sing for George Strait at the CMA Awards

George Strait was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 CMA Awards. Lainey Wilson kicked off the tribute with a note-perfect version of Strait’s signature “Amarillo by Morning,” followed by Jamey Johnson’s distinct but overwhelming rendition of “Give It Away.”

Parker McCollum and Miranda Lambert traded verses on Strait’s 2008 hit “Troubadour,” a fitting song for the occasion. To cap things off, Strait appeared to reprise “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame,” his duet with Chris Stapleton, from his album Cowboys and dreamers published earlier this year.

Paying tribute to Strait was a fitting group of artists, all of whom have either opened for, sung with or collaborated with the King in recent years. But it’s somewhat surprising that it took as long to honor Strait as it did: With a staggering 83 nominations and 17 awards, he’s the most nominated artist in CMA Awards history. Strait’s last award was 2013 Entertainer of the Year.

Recent recipients of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award include luminaries such as Charley Pride and Dolly Parton.

Johnson’s performance, meanwhile, was a sharp response to the media attention he has received this week. Performing days after being arrested in Tennessee for possession of marijuana, the 49-year-old singer-songwriter sounded upbeat and triumphant as he worked through Strait’s 2006 Number One, which Johnson co-wrote with Bill Anderson and Buddy Cannon.