Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Jamey Johnson and Parker McCollum took the stage for a career-spanning tribute to George Strait during the 2024 CMA Awards broadcast on Wednesday night (Nov. 20).

But the best part? A special appearance from the King of Country himself.

The special performance celebrated Strait’s honoree status: He received the CMA’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at Wednesday night’s show. Wilson kicked off the tribute with a rendition of “Amarillo by Morning,” and Johnson came next, delivering a bluesy and gravelly rendition of “Give It Away.”

Notably, Wednesday night marked Johnson’s first public appearance since he was arrested in Tennessee on Sunday (Nov. 17). He will face felony drug charges in connection with that incident, and he was also charged with speeding.

Read More: Jamey Johnson Facing Felony Charges After Arrest

The star power just kept rolling when Lambert and McCollum stepped onstage, singing “Troubadour” with harmony help from Johnson. As they sang, photos of Strait from all periods of his career — including a shot of the young legend posing with Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney and more — scrolled across a backdrop behind them.

Finally, the curtain opened up on Strait himself, who stood beside Stapleton as the pair performed their duet, “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame.” This is a relatively new release from the duo, who have teamed up occasionally over the last couple years as Stapleton opened some stadium shows for Strait.

“Cheers, brother,” Strait said at the conclusion of the song.

Directly after the tribute, Stapleton presented Strait with his trophy for the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

Read More: The New George Strait + Chris Stapleton Duet is Here

Strait is one of a select group of country music legends to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Alan Jackson and Johnny Cash are a few of the artists who’ve accepted it in the past. Of course, the first recipient was this trophy’s titular honoree, Willie Nelson, who received it in 2012.

An appearance from Strait at an awards show is pretty rare, even though he’s one of the genre’s most recognizable faces. He last performed at the CMAs with Alan Jackson in 2016.

It’s also been a decade since the last time Strait was nominated for a CMA; in 2014, he notched a nod for Entertainer of the Year. He’s won in that category three times over the course of his career.

The CMA does not hand out a Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award every year. It’s reserved to honor artists who have “attained the highest degree of recognition in Country Music,” the organization explains, achieving name recognition both through music and through humanitarian work and representation beyond the country music genre.

The 2024 CMA Awards aired live on ABC from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning co-hosted the show.

*Remember: The best way to watch the CMA Awards is on ABC with ToC on your phone.