When George Strait hosted a concert to raise money for Texas flood victims, some high-profile guests made a surprise appearance – including Gov. Greg Abbott and Garth Brooks.

Strait – known as the “King of Country” – raised $6.25 million for Texas flood victims during his July 27 concert “Strait To The Heart.” The fundraiser took place in Boerne, northwest of San Antonio. Abbott and Brooks surprised the crowd when they took the stage.

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“Texas will recover — by God’s grace & our grit,” Abbott posted on X. “With this support, homes will be rebuilt, communities restored, & peace returned.”

Strait and Brooks joined to perform a rendition of “The Fireman” in honor of first responders, according to Billboard. Alongside other classics, Strait also performed “The Weight Of The Badge” in honor of law enforcement, which he sang the night of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump. 

Artists including Dean Dillon, Hudson Westbrook, Jamey Johnson, Kyle Park, Randy Houser, Ray Benson, Riley Green, Wade Bowen, and William Beckmann also performed, as Billboard reported. Well-known Pastor Max Lucado also offered a prayer during the event.

“Our hearts and prayers are with you all,” Strait said in an earlier press release, announcing the benefit. “The destruction and loss in our community from the recent flood is hard to wrap your head around.”

The event was limited to 1,000 guests, and tickets sold starting at $1,000 – but were free to local first responders. The proceeds went to the nonprofit Vaqueros Del Mar Texas Flood Relief Fund, and were “distributed directly to affected families as well as established Hill Country funds.”

“The goal with this event is to raise meaningful, immediate support that can be put directly into the hands of flood victims without delay, while also honoring the first responders that work tirelessly to save lives,” Strait previously said.

The fundraiser was a “heartfelt tribute to the resilient spirit of the region and a critical fundraiser to provide immediate relief to impacted families,” according to Strait.

Readers can donate to the Vaqueros Del Mar relief fund on Stripe here.