When Toby Keith died of cancer on February 5 at the age of 62, the country world mourned the loss of one of its biggest stars. With 20 No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and Country Airplay, Keith was an uncompromising, often controversial figure who followed his own arrow and remained a fixture in the genre for three decades.
So when the 2024 CMT Music Awards took over the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Sunday (April 7), it was a no-brainer that the planned tribute to Keith would be one of the highlights of the night.
Headlined by Keith's longtime friends Brooks & Dunn and Sammy Hagar, as well as Lainey Wilson, who was mentored by Keith, the tribute was supported by Keith's longtime backing band.
Baseball legend Roger Clemens introduced the show, calling Keith “a true friend and patriot.” Clemens noted that in recent years, as Keith “battled that damn C word,” the singer “maintained his humor and spirit.”
Brooks & Dunn opened the set, delivering a rousing rendition of Keith's breakthrough 1993 single, “Should've Been a Cowboy,” as everyone in the crowd (especially Jelly Roll) sang along.
Hagar then turned up the adrenaline for a raucous take on Keith's 2003 hit “I Love This Bar,” a song tied to the country singer-inspired restaurant franchise Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill , which opened in 2005. Introducing the song, the Van Halen legend noted that while it's hard to get kicked out of your own bar, it's a feat they've both accomplished over the years.
After an introduction by Lukas Nelson and Riley Green, Wilson closed with “How Do You Like Me Now?!”, the title track from Keith's 1999 album. The Grammy winner poured her heart into a happy, bittersweet performance as Keith's widow, Tricia Lucas, and children (Shelley Covel Rowland, Krystal Keith and Stelen Keith Covel) watched.
After the performance, a tearful Clemens took the stage and led the entire audience in a Red Solo Cup cheer to the legend: “Whiskey for my men and beer for my horses!” he shouted raising his cup to the heavens.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/toby-keith-tribute-2024-cmts-brooks-dunn-sammy-hagar-lainey-wilson-1235650983/
