Toby Keith To Be Inducted Into Country Music Hall Of Fame

Author Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group

March 18th 11:58 AM

The Country Music Association gathered at the Hall of Fame Rotunda at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum this morning (3/18) and revealed that the 2024 Inductees are James Burton, John Anderson, and Toby Keith, who died in February (2/5) of stomach cancer at the age of 62.

Keith’s family said in a statement, “Toby’s passing left our hearts broken. We miss him so much, but we take comfort that his music and legacy will live forever. Thank you, Country Music Hall of Fame, for helping keep it alive.”

Toby’s Son Speaks

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn announced that Toby was an inductee, they discussed his many accomplishments in country music. After that, Keith’s son Stelen, who was visibly nervous, spoke to the gathered crowd. He said, “On behalf of my whole family, we want to thank the Hall of Fame. It’s an honor to stand here and represent my father, an amazing man, husband, father, and artist. I just want to thank everybody for being here; thank you.”

Ronnie Dunn added of Toby, “The man who once sang that he dreamed about living in your radio has got a permanent home in the Hall of Fame rotunda.”

RELATED: Keith Urban Recalls Toby Keith Adjusting His Autograph

Kyle Young, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Chief Executive Officer said in a statement, “Each of the three new inductees has left a deep and distinctive stamp on our genre. Florida native John Anderson helped steer Country Music back to its traditions with his bold honky-tonk style. James Burton, who hails from Louisiana, blended Country and blues to create a fiery picking style that distinguished countless hits and has inspired guitarists the world over.”

CMHOF on Toby

He added, “Toby Keith from Oklahoma brought a sly swagger and a patriotic passion to songs that made him one of the best-selling Country artists of the past 30 years. They have all profoundly shaped our music, and we are honored and delighted that their achievements will now forever be enshrined in the Country Music Hall of Fame.”

When Induction Will Occur

Burton, Anderson, and Keith will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at the CMA Theater this October. The Museum’s Medallion Ceremony, a reunion of the Hall of Fame membership, is the official rite of induction for new members.

Five of Toby Keith's Songs That Will Live Forever

• "Should've Been a Cowboy" (1993)

  This is his debut single and the song people will always associate with Toby. Many artists mentioned the song and its lyrics in their tribute to him after his death (2/6). Keith wrote the song himself, and it has always been his anthem. The song has received more than three million spins on country radio, making it the most-played country song of the 1990s. Over the years, the song has been a staple following sporting events at Oklahoma State University (home of the Cowboys), often played over the venue’s PA system several times in succession as fans emptied the stadium or arena.

• "How Do You Like Me Now?!" (1999)

  This song brought Keith to superstardom. Toby told me the inspiration for the song in 2000. “Initially, I said, ‘Here’s my title: ‘You Never Loved Me Before, So How Do You Like Me Now?’ It’s one of my catchphrases. A lot of people become successful after they’ve been told they won’t ever be so that people can relate to this. It can be about an old flame or a boss or a teacher -whatever it means to each individual. It was a fun song to write.”

• "I Wanna Talk About Me" (2001)

  This is another fun song and a big hit for Keith. The song was originally pitched to Blake Shelton, whose label turned it down. After recording the song, Keith said he knew he would get banged around for the song a bit. He noted, “They’re going to call it a rap, [although] there ain’t nobody doing rap who would call it a rap.”

  The music video for the song shows Toby in many different situations, including a man shopping with his girlfriend or wife, a police officer, a motorcycle rider, and a surgeon.

• "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)" (2002)

  The song he wrote after the 9/11 attacks on America and was also inspired by Keith’s father’s death in March 2001. In a November 2003 interview with CBS, Keith said of writing the song: “I was so angry when we were attacked here on American soil that it leaked out of me.”

  The music video for the song features Toby performing the song, playing a red, white, and blue guitar, and showing images of his own father fighting in a war.

• "Red Solo Cup" (2011)

  Keith sure is good at fun party songs, and he proved it once again with this song, which was the only song on the album Clancy’s Tavern that he did not write. The song was written by the Warren Brothers in Nashville.

  The music video includes cameos from Jeff Dunham (and his character Bubba J), Carrot Top, Ted Nugent, Sammy Hagar, Craig Ferguson, Geoff Peterson, Roger Clemens, Eric Church, Joe Nichols, Lance Burton, and Larry Bird, among others.

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Author Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group

Category:

• Country 103.7
• Music

Tags:

Country Music Hall of Fame,Toby Keith