In honor of the return of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Wide Open Country is looking back at one of our favorite moments from the Houston Rodeo.
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George Strait was joined by a very special guest duet partner during his record-breaking 2019 performance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The King of Country Music brought his grandson, George Harvey Strait III, to the stage to sing "God and Country Music."
Watch their performance below.
Strait's grandson also appears on the studio version of the song and his grandfather is clearly proud to see him make his live debut at RodeoHouston.
Strait closed out the rodeo, performing for over 80,000 attendees. According to the Houston Chronicle, Strait and his grandson Harvey set a new NRG Stadium attendance record with their performance.
Read More: George Strait Serenades His Wife For Their 50th Anniversary with 'I Cross My Heart'
"God and Country Music," written by Luke Laird, Barry Dean and Lori McKenna, is included on Strait's 2019 release Honky Tonk Time Machine. The new album includes 12 original songs and one cover ("Old Violin," originally written and recorded by Johnny Paycheck). Strait previously released"God and Country Music," "Código," "Every Little Honky Tonk Bar," "The Weight of the Badge"(a co-write with George and Norma's songwriter son Bubba Strait) and the title track. The album also includes"Sing One With Willie," which George Strait and fellow Texas country artist Willie Nelson debuted at a Willie Nelson tribute concert in 2019.
Strait, who most recently appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for his homestate grocery store chain H-E-B, will make his return to RodeoHouston this year. Following a two-year hiatus caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event will kick off on Feb. 28 with a performance by Cody Johnson. George Strait will close out the rodeo on March 20, with special guest Ashley McBryde.
Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Chris Stapleton and Brad Paisley are also set to perform.
This article was originally published in March of 2019. It was updated on Feb. 22, 2022.
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"God and Country Music" Lyrics
God and country music are like whiskey and a prayer
Like Johnny Cash's arm around Billy Graham
God and country music
They both never change
You find 'em when you need 'em
Where you stand
There's always lost in the found
And darkness in the I-saw-the-light
It's living in the small towns
In some church and backroad honky tonk tonight
It's a dance between the sin and the salvation
Come hell or high water
There's two things still worth saving
God and country music
God and country music
God and country music
They both showed you the truth
Seen the low of the valley
And the highs of the mountains too
Folded hands and guitar strings
Jukebox preachers and angels singing
Call you like they knew ya
Between the hell and hallelujah
There's always lost in the found
And darkness in the I-saw-the-light
It's still living in the small towns
In some church and backroad honky tonk tonight
It's a dance between the sin and the salvation
Come hell or high water
There's two things still worth saving
God and country music
God and country music
There's always lost in the found
And darkness in the I-saw-the-light
It's still living in the small towns
In some church and backroad honky tonk tonight
It's a dance between the sin and the salvation
Come hell or high water
There's two things still worth saving
God and country music
God and country music
God and country music
God and country music
