“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”
Introduction
When George Strait and Alan Jackson shared the stage that electric night in Texas, country music history was made. Their performances of “Amarillo by Morning” and “Murder on Music Row” weren’t just songs—they were powerful statements about country music’s soul.
The June 2014 concert at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium drew over 100,000 devoted fans who witnessed something truly special during Strait’s farewell tour. Between songs, Jackson’s admiration was palpable: “This is the coolest country music concert there’s ever been,” he declared, raising a toast to the King of Country. “I’ve been a fan since ‘Unwound’—you’re one of the reasons I came to Nashville.”
Their rendition of “Murder on Music Row” felt especially poignant—a song lamenting how traditional country was being abandoned for pop production. Written by Cordle and Shell in 1999, its message about the industry “killing country music” remained “still appropriate today,” as Jackson noted before their performance.
These two pioneers who helped define ’90s country proved that night why they continue inspiring generations of artists and commanding such profound respect from fans worldwide.