That night at AT&T Stadium—when 104,793 of us held our breath—George Strait kicked off ‘Amarillo By Morning’ with the quiet confidence of a man who’s ridden every dusty trail, then welcomed Alan Jackson’s warm drawl like an old friend stepping into the campfire; no flash, no frills—just two country kings weaving decades of heartbreak, hope, and honky‑tonk soul into a single, unforgettable moment that felt like coming home.

Introduction

On June 7, 2014, country legends George Strait and Alan Jackson joined forces at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for a stirring duet of “Amarillo by Morning” that transformed a beloved rodeo ballad into a communal celebration of grit, freedom, and the Texas spirit. Originally penned by Terry Stafford and Paul Fraser in 1973 and popularized by Strait in 1982, the song’s tale of a hard‑luck cowboy driving “up from San Antone” took on new resonance that night as over 100,000 fans cheered two generations of country music royalty on the biggest single‑show stage in U.S. history.

“Amarillo by Morning” was first recorded by Terry Stafford in November 1973, inspired by a late‑night drive from a San Antonio rodeo back to Amarillo and co‑written with Paul Fraser. Stafford’s country‑pop original saw modest chart action, peaking at No. 31 on Billboard’s country listings in early 1974. In 1982, George Strait reimagined it with a neotraditional country arrangement on his album Strait from the Heart, turning the tune into one of his signature standard.

As part of his “Cowboy Rides Away” farewell tour—the largest‑grossing country outing of 2014—Strait closed the final concert at AT&T Stadium before 104,793 fans, the highest single‑show attendance ever for a U.S. indoor concert. Midway through the set, he welcomed Alan Jackson for a two‑song cameo; when Jackson’s warm drawl joined the fiddle‑tinged intro of “Amarillo by Morning,” the stadium erupted in approval. Backed by the Ace in the Hole Band and augmented by Jackson’s subtle vocal harmonies, the duo maintained the song’s plaintive core while amplifying its celebratory spirit.

What makes this live version special is its communal energy: you feel the cowboy’s loneliness and resolve in every chorus, yet you also sense collective triumph as thousands sing along to “I ain’t rich, but Lord, I’m free.” In that vast arena, the song became more than a rodeo lament—it was an anthem about finding home wherever you roam and about the bonds that tie artists and audiences together

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