Back in September of 2012, when George Strait announced that he was retiring from the road, fans assumed that meant the King of Country would never again play a major show. A surprise show at SXSW (like in 2016)? Sure. But a major production like his Strait to Vegas shows? Totally unexpected. It makes sense, then, that The Boot's readers voted Strait's Las Vegas, Nev., concerts as the year's most unforgettable moment in the 2016 Golden Boot Awards.

In September of 2016 -- about four years after his "retirement" announcement -- Strait revealed that he would be performing a series of shows at Las Vegas' brand-new T-Mobile Arena. He originally announced just four shows -- two in April and two in September -- before adding two December dates ... and then, after those six events sold out, Strait added two concerts in February of 2017.

“I’m very excited to be coming back out and playing for the fans out there,” Strait said at the time of his big announcement. “Come April, it’ll be about a year and 10 months since I performed with my band … It’s gonna be exciting to get back out there again. I’m looking forward to singing those songs that I love so much.”

Strait's final The Cowboy Rides Away Tour began in January of 2013, with its final show taking place on June 7, 2014, and drawing 104,793 fans to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Footage from the concert has since been released as a live album and DVD.

In a ironic twist — or as proof that Strait was thinking ahead — back in September of 2012, when discussing his decision to quit touring, Strait said of his choice, “In 2016, I might say, ‘What a dummy.’ If that’s the case, I’ll reconsider.”

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