George Strait Named 2018 Texan of the Year – Only 2nd Musician in Over 40 Years
The 2018 Texan of the Year has been named, and it has a huge tie-in with traditional country music.
“King” George Strait can now add yet another accolade to his long list of accomplishments in his storied, Hall of Fame career. According to the Texas Legislative Conference, which is a non-partisan annual forum on Texas public policy, George Strait is the Texan of the Year for 2018. But it’s not for his music, or at least not directly. It’s because Strait helped spearhead numerous efforts that ultimately raised over $50 million in relief money for victims of Hurricane Harvey that ravaged Houston and surrounding areas on the Texas coast earlier this year.
“No one has done more than George Strait to raise awareness and funds for the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts,” conference chair Doug Miller said. “He put his well-earned reputation on the line and asked not only his fellow Texans to step up, but all Americans. And they have.”
The Texas Legislative Conference has been handing out the Texan of the Year award since 1974. The award usually goes to political or business leaders, making Strait’s achievement that much more meaningful for the performer. Previous recipients include President George H.W. Bush, Democrat Senator Lloyd Bentsen, James Baker, Lady Bird Johnson, and business leader T Boone Pickens.
The only other musician to ever receive the award is Asleep at the Wheel’s Ray Benson in 2011. George Strait will be presented with the award on March 22, 2018 at the New Braunfels Civic Center in central Texas where his career first started.
LIST OF TEXANS OF THE YEAR:
2018 – George Strait
2017 – Pike Powers
2016 – John Cornyn
2015 – Joe Straus
2014 – Wallace Jefferson
2013 – John Sharp
2012 – Ray Perryman
2011 – Ray Benson
2010 – Peter Holt
2009 – T. Boone Pickens
2008 – David Dewhurst
2007 – Rick Perry
2006 – Ed Whitacre, Jr.
2005 – Laura Bush
2004 – David Robinson
2003 – Karl Rove
2002 – George W. Bush
2001 – Red McCombs
2000 – Bill Archer
1999 – Max Sherman
1998 – George Christian
1997 – Kay Bailey Hutchison
1996 – Pete Laney
1995 – Bob Bullock
1994 – Herb Kelleher
1993 – Barbara Jordan
1992 – Robert S. Strauss
1991 – E (Kika) De la Garza
1990 – Barbara Bush
1989 – William P. Hobby
1988 – Phil Gramm
1987 – James A. Baker, III
1986 – John Traeger
1985 – John Tower
1984 – John Ben Shepperd
1983 – Lloyd Bentsen
1982 – George H.W. Bush
1981 – Anne Armstrong
1980 – Abner McCall
1979 – John B. Connally
1978 – George H. Mahon
1977 – Dolph Briscoe
1976 – Lady Bird Johnson
1975 – Leon Jaworski
1974 – Robert W. Calvert
Gina
December 4, 2017 @ 11:30 am
Yes, yes, yes! So well-deserved.
Mike W.
December 4, 2017 @ 11:52 am
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that George Strait and Ray Benson also happen to be two of the only human beings on that list that I would actually like to talk to or associate myself with.
joey
December 4, 2017 @ 3:52 pm
Agreed. I’m not so sure I’d be very happy being on that list myself! I mean, shit, aside from Strait and Benson, you’ve never seen a list of so many contemptible Americans.
K
December 4, 2017 @ 12:06 pm
I love that man!
Jen L Rios
December 4, 2017 @ 1:28 pm
Yes he has done more than anyone to help the Hurricane Harvey disaster. He cares when there is something serious happens he is there. So he should be honored and look up to with respect.
Adrian
December 4, 2017 @ 3:43 pm
Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Texas State Capitol, which by the way is several feet taller than the federal Capitol in Washington DC. While it was an impressive building, I was even more impressed by how Texans manage to run a state with over 27 million people, with no state income tax and with a part time legislature.
I spent some time at the gift shop, where the only music I heard played was George Strait. George has become part of the identity of Texas and Texans, so it is not surprising at all that he was named Texan of the year. I think it was just a matter of time before he was to receive this honor.
Trainwreck92
December 4, 2017 @ 4:34 pm
We have no state income tax, but property taxes make up the difference. I think Texas has the fifth or sixth highest property taxes in the U.S.
Adrian
December 6, 2017 @ 12:14 am
Even with the high property taxes, Texas is still a low tax state overall.
Also a $400,000 home in Texas could cost $1 million or more in parts of California. A 1% (or more realistically 1.2%) tax rate on a $1 million home in California would produce a $10,000 property tax bill, whereas a 2% tax rate on a $400,000 home in Texas would result in a tax bill of only $8000. And California has a state income tax with the top bracket at 13.3% and most middle class workers paying 9.3%. And the average price of gas here in California is over $3 per gallon. Texas has better tax policies. It is no contest.
James
December 4, 2017 @ 2:05 pm
Woooooo 👁❤️King George
Gar
December 4, 2017 @ 2:06 pm
Greatest country singer of all time no question about it
Megan
December 4, 2017 @ 2:55 pm
Cool.
RD
December 4, 2017 @ 3:00 pm
Congrats, I guess. Appears to be a dubious honor.
Trainwreck92
December 4, 2017 @ 4:30 pm
Exactly what I was thinking.
Clyde
December 4, 2017 @ 3:51 pm
Lotta Bush’s on that list. Ill bet it’s the only list with Karl Rove followed by David Robinson.
albert
December 4, 2017 @ 4:53 pm
So impressed that George was so involved in the relief efforts . Didn’t hear a lot about that work up here in the great white north . Very touching , to say the least . The real deal ..on every front .
Mike W.
December 4, 2017 @ 5:24 pm
So what you are saying is that unlike somebody like, say, JJ Watt, George Strait didn’t feel the need to go completely overboard in publicizing his charity work? Why, I don’t know if modern society can accept that kind of nonexistent self-congratulation.
DJ
December 4, 2017 @ 5:36 pm
JJ Watt raised 37 million. Why did they have to say what they did?
https://www.youcaring.com/victimsofhurricaneharvey-915053
“No one has done more than George Strait to raise awareness and funds for the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts,” conference chair Doug Miller said. “He put his well-earned reputation on the line and asked not only his fellow Texans to step up, but all Americans. And they have.”
GrantH
December 4, 2017 @ 5:42 pm
Is JJ Watt a native Texan? I’m not sure if that has something to do with eligibility for the award or not.
RD
December 4, 2017 @ 7:34 pm
W sure as F isn’t a native Texan and David Robinson seems like a good guy, but I’m pretty sure he was raised in Virginia.
DJ
December 4, 2017 @ 8:22 pm
The quote is in quotes
“No one has done more than George Strait to raise awareness and funds for the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts,” conference chair Doug Miller said. “He put his well-earned reputation on the line and asked not only his fellow Texans to step up, but all Americans. And they have.”
…………….
Nothing about where he’s from. And I have nothing against George Strait winning the award, but, they should at least be truthful. The hyperbole isn’t necessary. Anyone who knows who George Strait is doesn’t need lies to like him.
Aggc
December 4, 2017 @ 10:26 pm
He’s due for a new album and I’ll definitely be buying it when it arrives.
Ulysses McCaskill
December 5, 2017 @ 12:48 am
Wondering when Dale Watson will be added to that list…
D. Barksdale
December 5, 2017 @ 8:13 am
The thing about George, is when he comes to help it’s not about an award or any praise he’ll get from it. It comes from his heart for his fellow man an especially when it happens in his beloved Texas, he’s done a lot for our veterans to, not only did he sing Love is everything he believes it. Thanks for your helping hand, for you truly have a heart as big as Texas George. Doesn’t hurt being Taurus either.
beverly eannottie
December 5, 2017 @ 1:57 pm
George Strait is definitely pick for any award his singing ability, his smile, looks, most of all his character shows that you can be famous and still holds on to his values and ideas. I am not from Texas but a great big fan of him…! Congratulation George well deserved…
Strait Country 81
December 5, 2017 @ 4:45 pm
At least this is a far cry from the article that i read on here saying Strait was apart of the problem in country.
Sophia Montgomery
December 5, 2017 @ 5:02 pm
I love everything about George Strait. I am not Texan, not even American but when you see good in people, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from. You should acknowledge them. Well deserved, George.