Unveil the truth behind the all-star tribute to Toby Keith as musicians come together for a heartfelt homage that resonates across genres. Explore the backstory of this star-studded event, revealing the personal stories and musical influences that shaped Keith’s iconic career. Join us as we uncover the heartfelt moments and surprising collaborations that define this unforgettable tribute.
Toby Keith’s life and career will be the subject of an all-star tribute concert in Nashville in July. Billed as Toby Keith: American Icon, the show will subsequently air on NBC in August.
Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Darius Rucker, The War and Treaty and more top country artists are set to perform at the Toby Keith tribute concert, which will take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on July 29.
The show is slated to air in a two-hour special on NBC on Aug. 28, beginning at 8PM ET.
A portion of the proceeds from the concert will go to Keith’s OK Kids Korral, which provides cost-free housing for families of kids facing critical illnesses as part of the Toby Keith Foundation. A portion will also go toward the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Tickets for the Toby Keith: American Icon tribute concert are set to go on sale on Friday (June 28) at 10AM CT via Ticketmaster.
So far, there’s no word on which songs each artist will perform. Keith’s biggest hits included “Who’s That Man,” “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “My List,” “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue (The Angry American),” “American Soldier,” “As Good as I Once Was” and more.
Toby Keith died on Feb. 5, 2024, after battling stomach cancer for several years. He was 62 years old. The country icon will be formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame at a medallion ceremony in October.
Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.
Toby Keith’s 25 Best Songs Prove He’s a Country IconToby Keith reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart 20 times during his 30-plus year career, but some of this best songs were deep cuts.Here are his greatest hits — the top songs from 19 studio albums and beyond.Toby Keith died on Feb. 5, 2024 after a two-year battle with stomach cancer.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Cover of Toby keith’s Red Solo Cup
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No. 25: “Red Solo Cup” (From ‘Clancy’s Tavern,’ 2011)Nope, “Red Solo Cup” is not one of Toby Keith’s best, but admit it: A list without this playful jaunt would be incomplete.
No. 24: “Whiskey Girl” (From ‘Shock’n Y’all,’ 2003)
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No. 24: “Whiskey Girl” (From ‘Shock’n Y’all,’ 2003)Toby Keith dropped “Whiskey Girl” after hitting No. 1 with “Beer for My Horses,” “I Love This Bar” and “American Soldier,” and the new single climbed that mountain with ease.WWE star Amy Weber was the “Whiskey Girl” in a music video that’s not likely to avoid criticism in 2024. The objectifying nature of the song and video passed then, but it’s worth noting that Keith’s career would hit a lull in the two to three years that followed.
No. 23: “Me Too” (From ‘Blue Moon,’ 1996)
A&M records
No. 23: “Me Too” (From ‘Blue Moon,’ 1996)”Me Too” is an often forgotten hit for Toby Keith, but the song reached No. 1 in 1997. It’s a tender ballad is a lyrical showcase that he likely wrote hoping for a great anniversary song. It’s easy to imagine him struggling with the same three words his protagonist struggles with, so for that reason it’s very believable.
Cover of Toby Keith’s Unleashed album
Dreamworks Nashville
No. 22: “Who’s Your Daddy?” (From ‘Unleashed,’ 2002)”Who’s Your Daddy” is a signature Toby Keith song, among his very best. It’s got the attitude and sense of humor that would define his career, and it was a little controversial. That’s Toby, right?
No. 21: “American Ride” (From ‘American Ride,’ 2009)
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No. 21: “American Ride” (From ‘American Ride,’ 2009)”American Ride” is best remembered for the JibJab style music video that seemed to make a social or political statement. Immigration, climate change, loss of religion and more are referred to here, but through it all the singer states with conviction that he loves this American ride.
Cover of Toby Keith’s Clancy’s Tavern Album
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No. 20: “Made in America” (From ‘Clancy’s Tavern,’ 2011)A decade after dropping two patriotic songs, Toby Keith released another as the economy rebounded. “Made in America” rides along a thick rock track. It was his final No. 1 song.
Cover of Toby Keith’s She Never Cried In Front of Me
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No. 19: “She Never Cried in Front of Me” (From ‘That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy,’ 2008)Toby Keith sounded a bit different on “She Never Cried in Front of Me,” his arena rock ballad from 2008. Co-writer Bobby Pinson shares that they wrote it on piano, which was unusual. It hit No. 1 and deserves a spot on this list of his top songs.
Cover of Toby Keith’s Big Dog Daddy Album
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No. 18: “Love Me If You Can” (From ‘Big Dog Daddy,’ 2007)Songs like “Love Me If You Can” reveal the nuance in Keith’s personality. He didn’t write the reflective ballad, but in recording and releasing the chart-topper, he recognized how his opinions and actions might offend some.“Hate me if you want to / Love me if you can,” he sings to close each chorus.
Photo of Toby Keith from the “Who’s That Man” music video
Polydor
No. 17: “Who’s That Man” (From ‘Boomtown,’ 1994)”Who’s That Man” is a classic Toby Keith breakup song. The singer finds that another man has taken his place in the lives of his (ex) wife and kids, and he’s pretty blue about it. Keith wrote this No. 1 hit by himself, something he’d do often during his career.
Cover of Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar
Dreamworks Nashville
No. 16: “I Love This Bar” (From ‘Shock’n Y’all,’ 2003)”I Love This Bar” both spent five weeks atop the Billboard country charts and launched a successful restaurant chain for the country superstar. Looking back, songs from Unleashed and Shock’n Y’all represent the peak of Keith’s career: They resulted in six No. 1 hits, including four that made their way onto this Top 20 list. Critics were right when they predicted that this song would become a barroom anthem for years to come.
No. 15: “God Love Her” (From ‘That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy,’ 2008)
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No. 15: “God Love Her” (From ‘That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy,’ 2008)Toby Keith does Southern rock on “God Love Her,” a No. 1 hit from 2009. The uptempo hit is a coming-of-age story focused on two young lovers. It relies on a powerful, memorable chorus and some nasty guitar work.
Toby Keith poses with Willie Nelson
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No. 14: “Beer for My Horses” (From ‘Unleashed,’ 2002)Willie Nelson gave Keith’s career a big old stamp of approval by joining him on this hit from 2003. The song would become a six-week chart topper and later be turned into a movie. The surprising thing about this hit, one of our top Toby Keith songs, is that most people didn’t understand the concept of giving beer to one’s horses after a job well done. To be honest, most people under the age of 100 still don’t totally comprehend the idea, but it was funny, so it works.
Cover of Toby Keith’s Boomtown Album
Polydor
No. 13: “Upstairs Downtown” (From ‘Boomtown,’ 1994)The story goes that Toby Keith didn’t love “Upstairs Downtown” as a radio single, but we sure did. The ballad from Boomtown is a true country circle-of-life story that showed a new side to the hitmaker.
Photo of Toby Keith from the “I’m Just Talking About Tonight” music video
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No. 12: “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight” (From ‘Pull My Chain,’ 2001)The descending melodic structure of “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight” is the charm of this chart-topper. It’s no-nonsense story set atop a honky-tonk beat and it’s one of Toby Keith’s greatest hits.
Photo of Toby Keith from his My List music video
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No. 11: “My List” (From ‘Pull My Chain,’ 2001)Toby Keith’s love song from 2001 took on a new meaning when he set the music video to memories of the September 11 attacks. The soft, acoustic cut is timeless country music and an easy choice for this list of his best songs ever.
Photo of Toby Keith from the “I Wanna Talk About Me” music video
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No. 10: “I Wanna Talk About Me” (From ‘Pull My Chain,’ 2001)This song was controversial in 2001, as many wondered if the pacing and rhythm were too close to rap music. Blake Shelton originally cut the record, but he didn’t release it because his label felt it’d be too risky for a debut single. Keith joked to Billboard that no one who did rap would call it rap, though, and he was right: It went on to become his seventh No. 1 hit.After eight years of hits and misses, Keith really began to find his swagger during the early 2000s. A number of songs come loaded with an attitude that would define his best-known hits. It’s that chip on the shoulder that made him so easy to relate to as an artist.
Toby Keith performs live on stage
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No. 9: “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This” (From ‘How Do You Like Me Now?!,’ 1999)Including this song over ballads like “My List” and “Who’s That Man” is purely a matter of opinion — in this case, staff opinion. One could make a case for any of these three songs on this list of the Top 20 Toby Keith songs, as they were all wildly successful, and they all were unexpectedly tender performances from the rough and tough country star. While he’ll be remembered for rowdy hits like the top two songs on this list, he would never have lasted two-plus decades without being capable of singing a convincing ballad.
Cover of Toby Keith’s Blue Moon album
A&M Records
No. 8: “A Woman’s Touch” (From ‘Blue Moon,’ 1996)”A Woman’s Touch” is an under-appreciated song from Toby Keith’s catalog. The production is a bit outdated in 2024, but his warm voice still quiets the heart.
Cover of Toby Keith’s Shock’n Y’all Album
Dreamworks Nashville
No. 7: “American Soldier” (From ‘Shock’n Y’all,’ 2003)This four-week chart topper from Shock’n Y’all still resonates among the families of the men and women who serve this country in the armed forces. While many songs about America’s military or political climate felt disingenuous at the time, Keith seemed to sing from the perspective of a man who’d not only been to the Middle East, but had gotten to know the ins and outs of day-to-day military life. Fifty years from now, this song will still get airplay over the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends, so it’s a shoo-in for our list of the best Toby Keith songs.
Cover of Toby Keith’s Honkytonk University album
Dreamworks Nashville
No. 6: “As Good as I Once Was” (From ‘Honkytonk University,’ 2005)Keith and Scotty Emerick wrote some of the singer’s most entertaining songs, including this hit from 2005. It spent six weeks atop the country charts and sold a ton of singles and albums. The story is one anybody over the age of 30 can relate to — a slightly self-deprecating lyric that couldn’t have come at a better time for a singer who some felt was beginning to take himself a little too seriously.
Cover of Toby Keith’s How Do You Like Me Now? album
Dreamworks Nashville
No. 5: “How Do You Like Me Now?” (From ‘How Do You Like Me Now?,’ 1999)Beginning in 1999, Keith put up No. 1 hits like Michael Jordan put up layups. Eleven of 13 songs topped the country chart, including this title track from the How Do You Like Me Now?! album. He needed the lift, as previous singles had failed to attract attention from fans or radio (“When Love Fades,” anyone?). This one’s not only a great story about the underdog having his moment to throw success in the face of all who’ve doubted him, it’s also a song that re-energized Keith’s career. One could argue it’s the most important Toby Keith song that’s been released, if not the best.
Cover of Toby Keith’s American Ride album
Show Dog Nashville
No. 4: “Cryin’ for Me” (From ‘American Ride,’ 2009)With “Cryin’ for Me,” it felt like, for the first time in six years, they had a song that peeled the curtain back on Keith’s soul. The track was written after Keith’s dear friend Wayman Tisdale died, and after a string of more disposable singles like “She’s a Hottie,” this song felt like a jolt of honesty. Early in Keith’s career, it was easy to find examples of this sort of emotion, so even though this song didn’t top charts or sell a million singles, its artistic merits are enough to clear a spot on our Top 20 Toby Keith Songs list.
Cover of Toby Keith’s 35 Biggest Hits album
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No. 3: “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” (From ‘Toby Keith,’ 1993)Keith’s debut single not only went straight to No. 1, it also became the most-played song of the ’90s. “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” began a career that would become one of the most successful in country music history. The song is still heard on country radio stations across America today, and it was never uncommon for Keith to bring it to his live show.
Picture of Toby Keith performing “Don’t Let the Old Man In”
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No 2: “Don’t Let the Old Man In” (From ‘Greatest Hits: The Showdog Years,’ 2019)You could make an argument for “Don’t Let the Old Man In” as Toby Keith’s very best song, but we’ll not decide these kinds of things while grieving. The ballad was written and recorded for The Mule, a movie starring Keith’s friend Clint Eastwood. It took on a new meaning when — amid his cancer battle — he performed it at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards.
Picture of Toby Keith from the “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” music video
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No. 1: “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” (From ‘Unleashed,’ 2002)The best songs come quickly, and this career-defining hit from Toby Keith is said to have taken only 20 minutes to write. Keith was inspired by the death of his father and the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the very first time he performed “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” at a live show, fans went nuts. It went on to become his biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, his first Gold single and, now, the No. 1 tune on our list of the Top 20 Toby Keith Songs.13 Toby Keith Facts You Probably Never KnewToby Keith lived a fascinating life, but even fans who thought they knew everything about this country music hero will learn a thing or two on this list of 13 Toby Keith facts.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Toby Keith’s daughter Shelly, with the singer, his wife Tricia and daughter Krystal
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Toby Keith’s Adopted His Oldest DaughterToby Keith’s wife Tricia already had a little girl when they got married in 1984, so he adopted her. One has to search to find this information, as he’s never referred to 44-year-old Shelley Rowland as anything other than one of his own.
Tricia Covel with Toby Keith
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They Said Toby Keith Should Get a Real JobWhen Toby Keith married Tricia Covel in 1984, there were doubters. Many thought the singer needed to get a straight job instead of chasing a wild country music dream. She believed in him, however, and within a decade it’d pay off.
Toby Keith with son Stelen and wife Tricia
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Toby Keith Wrote a Song for His 2-Year-Old SonA forgotten deep cut in Toby Keith’s catalog is the song he wrote for his new son, Stelen. In 1999 he released “Heart to Heart (Stelen’s Song),” a remarkably tender ballad.Find the hitmaker telling of the little boy’s misbehavior as he smiles, recognizing the similarities. “Just like me / We keep her on her toes a lot,” he sings during the pre-chorus. It’s very sweet.
Young Toby Keith in football gear
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Toby Keith Was a Professional Football PlayerBefore chasing country music, while he worked in the oil field, Toby Keith played football for a semi-pro team called the Oklahoma Drillers. That picture was from before that, but we hear he was quite good.
Toby Keith in 2001
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Toby Keith Started at a Hot Dog StandWe’ll admit the source for this next Toby Keith fact is weak, but the story goes that one of the first places he played upon moving to Nashville was a Music Row hot dog stand named Houndogs. It was near where the Musica statue is today, and it’s confirmed to have been a launching point for several stars.Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney and Tracy Lawrence would all busk at Houndogs before being signed to a record label. Was Toby the “Hot Dog Daddy” before becoming “Big Dog Daddy”?
Toby Keith performing live in January 2015
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Toby Keith’s Band Is the Easy Money BandToby Keith named his band the Easy Money Band after scoring a wedding gig many years ago. He got a check for $1,000 and said it was “easy money.” The name stuck.Cover of Toby Keith’s 35 Biggest Hits album
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He Had the Most-Played Country Song of the 1990sToby Keith’s debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” was the most-played country song of the 1990s. It was a No. 1 hit and certified triple-Platinum.
Toby Keith in 2021
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Toby Keith Recorded Very Few DuetsWe count five collaborations across Toby Keith’s 19 studio albums. They are:
- I”m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying” with Sting
- “Beer for My Horses” with Willie Nelson
- “Mockingbird” with Krystal Keith
- “She Ain’t Hooked on Me No More” with Merle Haggard
- “Sailboat for Sale” with Jimmy Buffett
He did collaborate with other artists on their projects (most recently with Brantley Gilbert on “The Worst Country Song of All Time”), but for the most part, he remained a solo artist. Aside from his daughter, he never recorded a song with a female vocalist for one of his records.
Willie Nelson and Toby Keith before Super Bowl XXXVIII
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Toby Keith and Willie Nelson Played the Super BowlNo, the two “Beer for My Horses” singers did not play the halftime show, but in 2004, Willie Nelson and Toby Keith were trusted with a pre-game concert in Houston.The New England Patriots would defeat the Carolina Panthers that year, but the day is probably best remembered for the Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake wardrobe malfunction.
Toby Keith as Joe Bill “Rack” Racklin in ‘Beer for My Horses’
CMT Films
Toby Keith Was an Accomplished ActorNobody will claim Toby Keith was robbed of an Oscar, but he built a short movie resume in 2008 with films like Beer for My Horses, based on his song of the same name.Prior to that, he starred in Broken Bridges with Kelly Preston. The cast of each was remarkably deep.
Toby keith on the cover of Forbes magazine
Forbes
Toby Keith Was the $500 Million Dollar ManIn summer 2013, Forbes profiled 100 celebrities and put Toby Keith on the cover, calling him the $500 million man. The article was focused on his many business ventures, but he’d later admit he hated it. His publicist made him do it, he said.”I play golf with my shirttail out,” Keith said.
Toby keith performs in Texas in 2021
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Toby Keith on Politics? It’s ComplicatedToby Keith has voted Republican and he’s voted Democrat. He’s supported Barack Obama and Sarah Palin. He’s said nice things about Bill Clinton and performed at Donald Trump’s inauguration.On the record, Keith has admitted to once being a conservative Democrat who became disenfranchised with the party, so he went independent. There’s a want to tie his patriotism to conservatism, but that’s not necessarily true. It’s hard to say that politics were top of mind for Keith.
Toby Keith at the 2022 BMI Country Awards
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Toby Keith Never Won a GrammyToby Keith earned seven Grammy nominations in his career, but never won. His most recent was for Male Country Vocal Performance for his ballad “Cryin’ for Me.”22 Photos of Toby Keith YoungToby Keith was one of the most influential artists in country music history, with a career spanning from the mid 1990s all the way until his death in 2024. Let’s take a walk back in time and see pictures of Toby Keith young.
Gallery Credit: Evan Paul
Toby Keith, February, 2017
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Toby Keith, February 2017Toby Keith speaks onstage at the Artist Interview with Toby Keith: My Way, at CRS 2017 on February 24, 2017 in Nashville.
Toby Keith, June, 2015
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Toby Keith, June 2015Toby Keith performs onstage at the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 18, 2015 in New York City.
Toby Keith & Willie Nelson, July, 2013
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Toby Keith & Willie Nelson, July 2013Willie Nelson and Toby Keith perform during the Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert to benefit United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Norman, Oklahoma.
Toby Keith, April 2013
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Toby Keith, April 2013Toby Keith performs onstage at Day 1 of the 2013 Stagecoach California’s Country Music Festival, April 26, 2013 in Indio, California.
Toby Keith & Willie Nelson, January, 2013
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Toby Keith & Willie Nelson, January 2013Willie Nelson and Toby Keith perform together during the 30th Annual American Music Awards (AMAs) at the Shrine Auditorium on January 13, 2003 in Los Angeles.
Toby Keith, 2010
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Toby Keith, 2010Toby Keith poses in the press room with his guitar trophy after winning the Video Visionary Award at the American Country Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, December 6, 2010 in Las Vegas.
Toby Keith, 2009
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Toby Keith, 2009Lang Lang, Toby Keith and Donna Summer attend the Nobel Peace Prize Concert Press Conference at Plaza Hotel on December 11, 2009 in Oslo, Norway.
Toby Keith, 2009
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Toby Keith, 2009Toby Keith appears onstage at the Comedy Central roast of Larry the Cable Guy at Warner Bros. Studios on March 1, 2009 in Burbank, California.
Toby Keith & Roger Clemens, 2005
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Toby Keith & Roger Clemens, 2005Toby Keith and Roger Clemens attend the 2012 CMT Artists of the Year Awards, December 3, 2012 in Franklin, Tennessee.
Toby Keith, 2005
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Toby Keith, 2005Toby Keith plays with Scotty Emerick during a United Service Organizations (USO) performance, May 17, 2005 at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq.
Toby Keith, November 2004
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Toby Keith, November 2004Keith poses his awards in the press room at the 32nd Annual AMAs, held at the Shrine Auditorium November 14, 2004 in Los Angeles.
Toby Keith, June 2004
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Toby Keith, June 2004Toby Keith holds an artillery shell he is asked to autograph by U.S. troops at Camp Phoenix, after a USO performance for coalition forces June 3, 2004 in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Toby Keith, January 2004
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Toby Keith, January 2004Toby Keith poses for photos at a press conference to announce pre-game activities for Super Bowl XXXVIII at the Reliant Center in Houston, January 30, 2004. Beyonce would sing the National Anthem.
Toby Keith, September 2002
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Toby Keith, September 2002Toby Keith sings with armed service members behind him on the field before the NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tennessee Titans on September 8, 2002 at the Coliseum in Nashville, Tennessee.
Toby Keith, May, 1999
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Toby Keith, May 1999Toby Keith during 34th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at Universal Ampitheater in Universal City, California.
Toby Keith, April, 1997
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Toby Keith, April 1997Toby Keith entering the 32nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, held at Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City.
Toby Keith, October, 1995
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Toby Keith, October 1995Toby Keith attends the Academy of Country Music’s Bill Boyd Golf Classic at De Bell Golf Course in Burbank.
Toby Keith, 1994
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Toby Keith, 1994Toby Keith on Jan. 12, 1994 in Merrilville, In.
Toby Keith, 1979
Toby Keith, 1979Toby Keith’s high school yearbook photo.
Toby Keith, c. 1970s
Toby Keith, c. 1970s
Toby Keith & Mother, c. 1960s
Toby Keith & His Mother, c. 1960s
Toby Keith, c. 1960s
Toby Keith, c. 1960sRead More: Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson Lead All-Star Toby Keith Tribute | https://tasteofcountry.com/toby-keith-american-icon-tribute-concert-tv-special/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
