Miranda Lambert Performs ‘Run’ for George Strait at Kennedy Center Honors Ceremony

Miranda Lambert delivered one of the evening's most talked-about performances during the Kennedy Center Honors with a tribute to George Strait, performing “Run” from his catalog. Lambert previously duetted the song with Strait on The Cowboy Rides Away: Live from AT&T Stadium, making the moment a full-circle highlight within a night dedicated to his influence. Throughout the tributes, Strait was visibly emotional, smiling and tearing up as fellow artists honored his career.

Introducing the tribute to George Strait was Vince Gill, who said, “He gives such a true and genuine view of country music…your authenticity is why we call you our King.”

Strait's catalog remains foundational to modern country music, including “Amarillo by Morning,” a signature song from his 1982 album, Strait from the Heart, that reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and continues to be regarded as a defining standard of the genre. The celebration at the Kennedy Center underscored that legacy, positioning Strait within a broader group of honorees and storytelling moments that framed the evening.

“We can hardly imagine the country music phenomena without its ‘King of Country,'” said President Donald Trump on Dec. 6 in the Oval Office as he presented George Strait and the other 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees with medallions.

President Trump hosted the ceremony, which aired as a CBS special at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT and streamed on Paramount+ the same evening. Lambert's performance stood out among the tributes, while Strait declined CBS interviews that night, opting instead to let the music speak and spend time with family.