George Strait Named 2018 Texan of the Year – Only 2nd Musician in Over 40 Years

george-strait

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

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