George Strait Holds a Press Conference in Nashville

George Strait just made a major announcement at a press conference in Nashville.

At a press conference in Nashville this afternoon, George Strait announced that the next two years will be exciting and bittersweet for him.

The press conference began with Lon Helton taking the stage, who hosts Country Countdown USA, which you can hear Saturday mornings on Cat Country 107.3; Lon announced that this was a historic day in country music. Following a video that covered the musical history of Strait's career and featured numerous country music stars, ranging from Dierks Bentley and Blake Shelton to Kenny Chesney and Reba McEntire, it was announced that the next two years would be exciting, yet bittersweet, for George Strait and his fans.

George Strait will be doing a 40-date concert schedule in 2013 and 2014 on the Cowboy Rides Away tour -- and that tour will be his last. Strait will continue to write and record new music after 2014. Here are the announced tour dates and locations:

Jan. 18 – Lubbock, TX, United Spirit Arena
Jan. 19 – Oklahoma City, OK, Chesapeake Energy Arena
Jan. 25 – Salt Lake City, UT, EnergySolutions Arena
Jan. 26 – Nampa, ID, Idaho Center Arena
Jan. 31 – Sacramento, CA, Power Balance Pavilion
Feb. 1 – Fresno, CA, Save Mart Center
Feb. 2 – Las Vegas, NV, MGM Grand Garden Arena
Feb. 15 – Saint Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center
Feb. 16 – Grand Forks, ND, Alerus Center
Feb. 22 – Buffalo, NY, First Niagara Center
Feb. 23 – Hartford, CT, XL Center
March 1 – Knoxville, TN, Thompson-Boling Arena
March 2 – Lexington, KY, Rupp Arena
March 17 – Houston, TX, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo / “RodeoHouston”
March 22 – Greenville, SC, Bi-Lo Center
March 23 – Greensboro, NC, Greensboro Coliseum
April 5 – Albuquerque, NM, Pit Arena
April 6 – Las Cruces, NM, Pan American Center
April 12 – N. Little Rock, AR, Verizon Arena
April 13 – New Orleans, LA, New Orleans Arena