George Strait and Miranda Lambert will soon have a spot next to each other in the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The Texas Heritage Songwriters Association recently named the four individuals joining the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2026. Those individuals are Strait, Lambert, Don Cook, and Keith Gattis.
The Association, and thus the Hall of Fame, devotes itself to “honoring and celebrating Texas songwriters who have played an important role in defining and interpreting Texas’ distinctive culture.”
Strait and Lambert certainly fit the bill. Lambert grew up in Lindale, Texas, and shot to fame after coming in third place on Nashville Star in 2003. She wrote many of her most well-respected hits, including “Over You,” “Tin Man,” “Bluebird,” “White Liar,” and “Heart Like Mine.”
Strait grew up in Pearsall, Texas. Known as “The King of Country,” Strait has more #1 songs than any other artist in the genre’s history. While many of Strait’s biggest hits were not written by him, he’s penned meaningful tracks such as “I Believe,” “The Weight of the Badge,” “The Little Things,” and “The Book.”
Don Cook was born in Carrizo Springs, Texas. He’s penned songs recorded by artists such as Barbara Mandrell, Blake Shelton, Clay Walker, George Jones, and Kelly Clarkson. Brooks & Dunn recorded several of his tracks, including “Brand New Man,” “Lost and Found,” and “Only in America.”
The late Keith Gattis was born in Georgetown, Texas. He collaborated with notable acts such as Kenny Chesney (“El Cerrito Place”), George Jones (“Real Deal”), and fellow inductees Strait (“I Got a Car”) and Lambert (“I Just Really Miss You”).
Strait, Lambert, Cook, and Gattis will be inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame during a ceremony on February 21, 2026, at ACL Live in Austin.
On Thursday (August 21), Lambert shared a post reacting to her induction into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame. She wrote:
“It is a huge honor to learn that I will be inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame next year. Especially alongside my hero @GeorgeStrait, and legends Don Cook and @keithgattis.”
Lambert paired her message with an old photo of her and her dad when she was young. The picture shows her dad playing guitar with Lambert by his side.
“My dad was my first co-writer. He taught me how to play guitar and is a huge part of the reason for my love of country music. I’m grateful for what music and songwriting has done in my life,” Lambert said.
George Strait and Miranda Lambert have recently stepped up to help their home state. Catastrophic flooding tore through the Texas Hill Country in early July, resulting in at least 135 deaths.
Both Strait and Lambert organized benefit concerts to fund relief efforts. Strait’s concert, held on July 27 in Boerne, Texas, raised $6.25 million.
Lambert teamed up with another Texas native, Parker McCollum, to host the Band Together Texas benefit show on August 17. Held at Austin’s Moody Center, the lineup included acts such as Cody Johnson, Ronnie Dunn, and Lukas Nelson. Jason Aldean also made a surprise appearance to sing with Lambert.
The show ended up raising $8.5 million for relief efforts. The entire event was livestreamed online, and you can watch it below.
Hats off to George Strait and Miranda Lambert for helping their fellow Texans in their time of need.
