After Vanishing from Clemson for Over 25 Years, George Strait’s Return Has a Deeper Story. ML
George Strait Returns to Clemson’s Death Valley for First Show in Over Two Decades
Boerne, TX – October 21, 2025 – Country music icon George Strait has officially announced a stadium show for May 2, 2026, at Clemson University’s Memorial Stadium, also known as “Death Valley.” This marks his first return to the South Carolina venue in more than 25 years, following his last performance there in 1999.
The 2026 concert, which will also feature country stars Cody Johnson and Wyatt Flores, is set to be one of the most anticipated live music events of the year. Tickets for the show will go on sale beginning October 31.
Strait, known to fans as the “King of Country,” has continued to perform select stadium dates over the past several years. In 2025, he played five stadium shows; in 2024, he performed 10. One of his most notable 2024 performances was at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field in College Station, which drew a record-breaking crowd of 110,905 fans—then the largest ticketed concert audience in U.S. history. That record was later surpassed by Zach Bryan, who brought in 112,408 fans to Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
Although only the Clemson date has been announced so far for 2026, fans are speculating that more shows may follow. Earlier this week, Strait shared a nostalgic poster from his late-’90s “Nokia Presents the George Strait Chevy Truck Music Festival” tour on Instagram, which featured rising acts of the time like Kenny Chesney, the (then) Dixie Chicks, and Tim McGraw. That tour included the original 1999 Clemson show, fueling speculation that the upcoming concert may be part of a larger throwback-themed tour.
Aside from the Clemson show, Strait has several major milestones on the horizon. This December, he will be honored at the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., recognizing his contributions to American music and culture. He will also be inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame in early 2026—a significant nod to his storied songwriting career.
Whether or not additional 2026 tour dates are in the works, one thing is clear: George Strait’s legacy continues to grow, and fans across the country are eager to witness it live once again.
