George Strait Announces Historic “Death Valley” Concert With Cody Johnson
George Strait and Cody Johnson to perform at Clemson University (Left: Image by Peggy Sirota, Right: Image by Chris Douglas)
Fans Buzzing After George Strait Hints At A Big Announcement
George Strait caught the attention of fans this week by teasing something big happening next year. On October 14th, Strait’s team shared an image of an autographed poster from 1998’s George Strait Chevy Truck Country Music Festival with the caption:
“Gearing up for a 2026 announcement. Here’s a clue! Let us know your guess in the comments.”
Headlined by Strait himself, lineup included Tim McGraw, The Chicks, Kenny Chesney, Jo Dee Messina, Mark Wills, and Asleep at the Wheel. The show made eighteen stops in major cities around the United States.
This sparked a wide variety of speculation, ranging from hopes of a reunion tour to guesses at a festival in his home state of Texas. On October 16th, Strait dropped another hint. This time, it was an Instagram story featuring what appeared to be a Clemson University football jersey with his name on it.
George Strait To Perform First Concert At “Death Valley” In 27 Years
On October 17th, George Strait revealed the big announcement he had been teasing all week – for one night only, he will return to Clemson University’s Memorial Stadium. The special concert will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026 and feature special guests Cody Johnson and Wyatt Flores.
Both Johnson and Flores shared the news on social media and expressed what an honor it is to join the country music icon for the show.
The historic concert will be the first that the venue, known as “Death Valley,” has held since 1999, when George Strait headlined. The King of Country music shared in a press release:
“Going back to Death Valley for the first time in more than 25 years feels pretty special. Can’t wait to see you, Clemson!”
The show promoises to be “an unforgettable evening of timeless hits and new favorites performed center stage, in the round.”
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Strait played a handful of stadium shows in 2025, including A&M’s Kyle Field and Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium. The former broke the record for the largest single ticketed concerts in U.S. history with 110,905 attendees.
Tickets for George Strait and Cody Johnson at Clemson University will go on sale at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, October 31, 2025. Fans can sign up for presale on his official website.
