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George Strait breaks US concert attendance record for ticketed event

George Strait
George Strait: The King of Country played before a record ticketed crowd Saturday night at Kyle Field on the campus of Texas A&M. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — At 72 years old, country music star George Strait is still making records. Saturday night in Texas, the Grammy Award-winning singer set an attendance record.

Strait’s concert at Kyle Field at Texas A&M’s campus in College Station, Texas, drew 110,905 fans, making it the all-time record for a ticketed concert in the United States, Billboard reported.

That topped the previous mark of 107,019 fans who watched the Grateful Dead perform at Raceway Park in New Jersey in 1977, according to the music news website.

According to officials at Texas A&M, the number of fans Saturday night also broke the stadium record for attendance, KDFW-TV reported. The previous mark of 110,633 was set on Oct. 11, 2014, when the Aggies football team hosted the University of Mississippi, according to Billboard.

Playing before sellout crowns is nothing new for the King of Country. In June 2014, he played before more than 104,000 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, KBTX-TV reported.

Saturday’s concert also featured Texas natives Parker McCollum and Catie Offerman, Billboard reported.

“What’s going on everybody?” Strait said to the record crowd, according to Billboard. “We got some Aggies out there? Oh yeah! I’m ashamed to say this, but this is my first time to ever be in Kyle Field.

“Damn! Just invite me back, I’ll come!”

During his career, Strait has recorded 60 songs that reached No. 1, according to the music news website. That is more than any other performer in history.

He is only the only artist to have a top-10 hit every year for 30 years, and the most No. 1 albums, gold albums and platinum albums in the history of country music.

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