Several weeks ago, the annual Kennedy Center Honors ceremony took place in Washington, D.C., recognizing the King of Country Music alongside cultural heavyweights like KISS, Sylvester Stallone, Broadway icon Michael Crawford, and disco legend Gloria Gaynor.
As most people have heard by now, the building was recently renamed the Trump–Kennedy Center. While President Donald Trump did not participate in the Honors during his first term, he has taken a much more active role in his second—appointing country artist Lee Greenwood to the board, naming himself chair, and ushering in a completely revamped leadership group.
For many, the Kennedy Center—formerly known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—is best known for this annual ceremony, which inducts a new class of artists and entertainers each year. Located in Washington, D.C., it stands as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Over the years, country music royalty such as Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, and George Jones have all been honored.
So it felt more than fitting that one of country music’s biggest modern stars, Miranda Lambert, was on hand to celebrate George Strait. She delivered a stunning rendition of his song Run, and honestly—this couldn’t have been more perfect. It’s one of my all-time favorite Strait songs, and seeing Miranda perform it on such a meaningful night for one of the genre’s most important figures was genuinely special.
“Run” served as the lead single from Strait’s 2001 album The Road Less Traveled. Despite peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart three separate times, it never quite reached the top spot—something that still feels criminal given how timeless it is.
@cbs @Miranda Lambert pays tribute to "the king of country" George Strait, with a powerful rendition of "Run" Don't miss her full performance tomorrow on The Kennedy Center Honors at 8pm ET/PT on CBS and streaming on @Paramount+ #KennedyCenterHonors #KCHonors #SneakPeek ♬ original sound – CBS
Miranda and George have shared the stage with this song before, most notably during his 2014 The Cowboy Rides Away Tour: Live from AT&T Stadium. But this moment felt different. This felt earned. And honestly, I can’t think of a better occasion for her to sing it again.
As for the rest of the country presence that night, Brooks & Dunn also performed in honor of Strait, and Garth Brooks was in attendance as well—though he tackled KISS’s “Shout It Out Loud,” which should be… interesting.
The full ceremony airs tonight on CBS and streams on Paramount+. But as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t get any better than this. I need Miranda to record this version in the studio. And that massive diamond bolo tie? Completely iconic.
Do yourself a favor and soak this one in.
This is country music at its absolute best.