On Monday night (July 29), Music City came alive with a star-studded tribute to the late Toby Keith, aptly named Toby Keith: American Icon.
The Bridgestone Arena in Nashville was packed with thousands of fans and some of country music’s biggest stars, all coming together to celebrate Toby Keith’s incredible legacy. The two-hour event was a heartfelt showcase of his greatest hits and featured appearances from many of his closest friends.
Mark your calendars: Toby Keith: American Icon will air on NBC on August 28.
One of the evening’s standout moments was Luke Bryan’s performance of Toby Keith’s iconic anthem, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy.” Released in 1993, this was Toby’s debut single and his first number one hit. Bryan’s rendition of the song was especially poignant, as he has often covered it in his concerts since Toby’s passing in February.
>>READ ALSO: Toby Keith’s Daughter Reveals Unseen Moments of Toby As A Grandpa
Watch a clip of Bryan’s touching performance of “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” below.
@up2date_country Update: Luke Bryan covers “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” by Toby Keith at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN #lukebryan ♬ original sound – Up2Date Country
Other memorable tributes came from stars like Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Ashley McBryde, and many more!
>>RELATED: Watch Exclusive Footage of Toby Keith’s Final Studio Session
In a particularly moving moment, Luke Bryan performed wearing a black cowboy hat—a rare choice for him, as he usually prefers a baseball cap. He shared the special significance of the hat before starting his performance.
Bryan addressed the crowd, saying it was an “honor” to be part of the tribute. He fondly reminisced about his friendship with Toby, recalling Toby’s humor and his endless supply of new songs. Bryan then revealed why he chose to wear the cowboy hat:
“This hat has been hanging in my closet for about fifteen years. My sister bought it for me when I was playing bars and doing ten Toby Keith songs a night. I wore it every night back then. Since I lost my sister, I haven’t put this hat on stage in years. But tonight, I thought, ‘I’m just a country boy from Georgia, and Toby Keith made me want to be a cowboy… This is for you, Toby!’”
It was a deeply personal and touching tribute to both Toby and his sister. Check out his heartfelt speech and watch the full performance in the video below.
@musicmayhemmagazine.com @Luke Bryan telling an emotional story before paying homage to late country music icon @Toby Keith with a performance of “Should've Been a Cowboy” during the Toby Keith: American Icon taping in Nashville. #LukeBryan #TobyKeith #Nashville #CountryMusic #ShouldveBeenACowboy ♬ original sound – Music Mayhem
