Houston, Texas, March 17… George Strait, accompanied by special guests Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett, closed the 2019 Houston Rodeo with a record-breaking set. George Strait, Robert Earl Keen, and Lyle Lovett now hold the NRG Stadium attendance record for concert-only performances. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo confirmed 80,108 fans attended the concert, breaking the previous record from 2013, which was also set by Strait and his openers Martina McBride and Randy Rogers Band, with 80,020 fans.

The NRG Stadium, home of the NFL's Houston Texans, has a seating capacity of 71,995 when events take place on the field, however, an additional 7,000 seats were added to the grounds for this past Sunday’s concert. Legendary Lone Star State singer-songwriters and longtime friends Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett prepped the massive Houston crowd for Strait's 30th performance at the Rodeo. This performance marks Keen's fifth performance and Lovett's third.

Robert Earl Keen:

Singer, songwriter, and entertainer Robert Earl Keen has recorded 19 albums and performed thousands of shows, with nineteen records to his name. His work ranges from country to bluegrass to rock. His songs have been recorded by artists including George Strait, Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Montgomery Gentry, Dixie Chicks, The Highwaymen, Gillian Welch, Todd Snider, and Shawn Colvin. In 2012, he was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame along with his college friend, Lyle Lovett and the late Townes Van Zandt. In March 2015, BMI honored him as the first recipient of the Troubadour Award. Keen’s philanthropic and charity work lead him to be presented with the Distinguished Alumni award from Texas A&M University in the fall of 2018. The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame inducted Robert Earl Keen into their 2019 class with the receipt of their Spirit of Texas Award. Keen’s signature song is “The Road Goes On Forever.” (RobertEarlKeen.com)