Photo: Todd Owyoung/Ismael Quintanilla
The King of Country Music made a surprise appearance at the 2021 iHeartCountry Festival presented by Capital One, marking one of the best highlights for the crowd — and for the performers.
The festival in Austin, Texas was packed with tons of high-energy performances by some of the biggest names in country music. That includes Cole Swindell, Chase Rice, Little Big Town, Carly Pearce and more. The rest of the 2021 iHeartCountry Festival lineup watched country legend George Strait in awe when he performed during a special star-studded guitar pull, and gushed when they got to meet Strait backstage.
The iHeartRadio "We're All Country" Guitar Pull powered by RAM Trucks included performances by Maddie & Tae and Parker McCollum before Strait took the stage. He delivered a rendition of “The Weight Of The Badge,” a nod to first responders, and “Amarillo By Morning.” Naturally, Strait captivated the audience — and fellow artists. Country quartet Little Big Town watched offstage after rocking their performance moments earlier. Swindell and Rice also flocked to the wings to watch the country icon perform at the festival, and Pearce exclaimed, “my heart melted in Texas last night meeting the King 😭♥️✨” See all the starstruck moments below: