George Strait was named the 2013 Billboard Legend of Live last night (Nov. 14) at the 10th Annual Billboard Touring Awards at New York’s Roosevelt Hotel, according to Billboard.com. Strait joked jovially about receiving the honor just a week after receiving the coveted CMA Entertainer of the Year trophy.
“I feel like I fit right in here,” Strait said. “I stared touring about Eighteen ninety – well, it feels like that anyway. I started touring in 1981. I tell ya, I’ve been touring so long that I kinda got it through the years. Part of it got a little hard for me and the burnout thing was happening. I’ve always loved the shows – don’t get me wrong, but all the other stuff that goes along with it I kinda got tired of. Thanks to Louis Messina for making it fun again for me out there, and giving me a lot of years on his team.”
The awards honored the concert industry’s top artists, execs, and venues for the year based on Billboard’s Boxscore chart and box office performance. Other big winners of the evening included Taylor Swift, who received the Top Package Tour Award for her Red tour, which was the top-grossing tour with three or more artists on the bill. Bon Jovi was also honored with Top Tour and Top Draw, which honors the top ticket-selling tour. P!nk pulled in the Top Boxscore Award for her July and August run at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, which grossed over $30 million.
Complete list of 2013 Billboard Touring Award winners:
TOP TOUR
Bon Jovi, Because We Can
TOP DRAW
Bon Jovi
TOP BOXSCORE
P!nk — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
TOP COMEDY TOUR
Jeff Dunham
TOP PACKAGE
Taylor Swift’s Red Tour, featuring Ed Sheeran, Joel Crouse, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Casey James
BREAKTHROUGH
One Direction
TOP FESTIVAL
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Indio, Calif.
TOP ARENA
O2 Arena, London
TOP VENUE — UNDER 10,000 SEATS
Radio City Music Hall, New York
TOP VENUE – UNDER 5,000 SEATS
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
TOP CLUB
House of Blues, Orlando, Fla.
TOP AMPHITHEATER
The Gorge, George, Wash.
TOP PROMOTER
Live Nation
TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER (INTERNATIONAL)
T4F
TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER (U.S.)
C3 Presents
TOP AGENCY
Creative Artists Agency
TOP MANAGER
Bon Jovi Management
HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Marcie Allen, president of MAC Presents
EVENTFUL FANS’ CHOICE AWARD
Bon Jovi
CONCERT MARKETING & PROMOTION AWARD
The Rolling Stones and Citi for the 50 & Counting Tour
LEGEND OF LIVE
George Strait
HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Marcie Allen
HAULER OF THE DECADE AWARD
Vans Warped Tour
About the Author
Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
