Singer-songwriter Toby Keith was one of country music’s biggest stars. He had many hits in the 1990s and early 2000s, and his music became a symbol for patriotism and American values like faith and family. The country singer passed away in February, but his memory lives on through his songs. Through these, he boldly explored his relationship with God, sang about his imperfections with touching honesty, and proudly honored America’s military.
Born in Clinton, Oklahoma on July 8, 1961, Toby Keith Covel, better known as his stage name Toby Keith, first realized he wanted to become a professional musician during his childhood days at Billie Garner’s Supper Club. The restaurant and live music venue was located in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Keith spent most of his youth in Oklahoma. But for a brief period, his parents moved the family to Arkansas to be near the children’s grandmother. She owned the supper club, and Toby eventually worked up the nerve to get onstage. While helping his grandmother at the venue, he’d sing with the house band when the opportunity presented itself.
A Move to Music City
Eventually, he outgrew Midwest music venues and yearned for something more. In the early ‘90s, despite his family’s concerns, he moved to Nashville to pursue music full-time. He busked up and down the city’s famous publishing strip known as Music Row. He played for anyone who would take a few seconds to listen, but didn’t make much progress.In a sudden turn of events, Keith was offered a deal with Mercury Records after a flight attendant shared one of the singer’s demo tapes with a producer she knew who was on her flight.
Though Keith struggled during his first few years in Nashville, his first single release, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” went all the way to number one on the country charts.
Proud American Spirit
While many of his early hits were focused on good-time themes and punchy, lyrical one-liners, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 had a significant impact on his songwriting. As America went to war in the Middle East, Keith turned his attention away from those dancing in honkytonks to those defending freedom overseas.
When Keith wrote “American Soldier,” a poignant ballad penned from the perspective of a wartime soldier stationed overseas, he had his father, a veteran, on his mind. In 2009, the American Forces Press Service featured a quote by Keith while he chatted about the importance of honoring veterans and those fighting to defend freedom:
“My father was a soldier. He taught his kids to respect veterans,” Keith said. “It’s that respect and the thank you that we have a military that’s in place and ready to defend our nation; our freedom.”
Appearing on his multi-platinum album, “Shock’n Y’all,” the heartfelt “American Soldier” hit the top spot on country charts for a month. The single stood as a defining artistic representation of Keith’s proud American spirit, and it made significant cultural impact, serving to comfort Americans in the wake of one of the most difficult times in the country’s history.
During the success of his “Shock’n Y’all” album, the honkytonk singer-songwriter began to embrace more than cowboy songs: He embodied that of a true American patriot, drawing the respect of his fellow musicians who admired his courage and dedication to classic American principles.
Southern group Chapel Hart worked with Toby professionally and they were inspired by his personal dedication to our country and its founding principles. In an official statement released by the trio, the singers touched on what impressed them about the late country star:
No Man’s Land
During one of his performances in Iraq, Keith made sure those who were stationed in especially volatile, rural areas were included in his shows. When he got word of a group stationed in an area referred to as “No Man’s Land,” Keith didn’t flinch and made arrangements to travel to the station and perform for servicemen there.
He left most of his crew behind for safety reasons, only traveling with military professionals to the destination. When he arrived, he spent hours with the grateful soldiers, performing solo, acoustic sets of his music and talking with them between songs.
One of those soldiers happened to be the son of fellow songwriter Tim Atwood. Mr. Atwood was deeply moved by Keith’s actions, saying this about what Keith’s legacy means to him:
Living Life to The Fullest
In 2018, the country star tackled a universal subject everyone deals with in life, getting older. When contemplating how to age gracefully, he turned to one of his good friends for sage advice.
During a golf outing with actor Clint Eastwood, Keith asked him how he continued to keep such a busy schedule despite the movie star being 88 years old. In an interview with The Tennessean, Keith said that Mr. Eastwood told him, “I get up everyday, and I don’t let the old man in.”
When he heard Mr. Eastwood’s response, he knew he had a song in the works. Keith promised him he’d have it written soon, and it only took two days of writing to deliver the tune.
The Embodiment of Real Country Music
Keith’s legacy continues with his family, including his wife, Tricia, and three children, Shelley, Krystal, and Stelen. Krystal followed in her father’s footsteps and is a passionate singer and musician. In an official statement paying tribute to her father, she referred to him as her “hero.”
Keith is one of country music’s biggest success stories, but he never lost sight of the principles that made him a loving husband and father and guiding light for fellow musicians. Amid a lifetime of sold out shows and hit singles, he always stayed faithful to what Chapel Hart eloquently described in their tribute to him: “God, family, and country.”
Music artist Joey Canyon summed up Keith’s pride in his work and pride in the country he felt honored to call home when he said this about the late singer-songwriter:
“Toby Keith epitomized what real country music is all about. His heart for this country was true ‘Red, White, and Blue.’”
