On 26 September 2012, George Strait announced he would stop undertaking large-scale tours after completing one final nationwide tour. The decision mattered because Strait, then aged 60 and one of country music’s biggest stars, wanted to leave touring while he was still attracting huge audiences rather than risk declining attendance.

The Cowboy Rides Away tour featured 47 arena and stadium dates across two legs, beginning in January 2013 and ending on 7 June 2014 at Arlington, Texas’s AT&T Stadium. Strait stressed that he was not retiring from music: he planned to continue recording and remained open to occasional special-event performances, later playing limited shows, including a record-breaking 2024 concert at Kyle Field.