George Strait Set to Receive 2024 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award

Lauren Novak November 13, 4:40 pm

George Strait performs onstage during Austin City Limits Festival at Zilker Park on October 01, 2021 in Austin, Texas — Rich Fury/Getty Images

The 58th Annual CMA Awards are just around the corner. They will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 8pm ET on ABC. This year, the night promises to be unforgettable, as the “King of Country” himself, George Strait, will be honored with the prestigious CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award after some star-studded performances by artists whom Strait and his success inspired.

After four decades of hits and memories, Strait will again take the stage to accept an award that feels like it was made just for him. “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, the CMA chief executive officer, shared about the honor. “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. I am thrilled we are awarding him with this deserving honor next month.”

George Strait rehearses for the "2002 Academy of Country Music Awards" at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, Ca. Tuesday, May 21, 2002

Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/Getty Images

Fans worldwide know him not just for his 60 chart-topping singles but also for how he brings a quiet charm with him every time he performs. Not only is he the only artist to have a Top 10 hit every year for over three decades, but he’s also sold more than 70 million albums. We’re talking 33 platinum or multi-platinum albums, three CMA Entertainer of the Year titles, and more industry awards than most could dream of — 83 nominations and 17 wins at the CMA Awards alone.

George Strait attends CMT Coal Miner's Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn at Grand Ole Opry on October 30, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee

Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT

The CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for those rare artists who’ve reached the top and stayed there, changing the landscape of country music, inspiring new talent and embodying the heart of the genre. Past recipients include country music legends like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn — true icons who have also contributed to the world with humanitarian and philanthropic efforts. Be sure to watch Strait receive the award as well as the other country stars who will be performing and receiving honors on November 20.