Toby Keith, an American icon and hit-making Country music singer/songwriter, passed away near Oklahoma City on February 5th after an 18-month battle with stomach cancer. Known for his patriotic, all-American stance on many important issues, here are three life lessons from Toby Keith.
Surrounded by his family, Keith died in his sleep at the tender age of 62. You may wonder how surviving into a seventh decade warrants a “tender” reference. The reason is simple: I’m four months from reaching the same milestone.
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Like so many talented Country crooners, Keith blasted into the national spotlight in the early 1990s and amassed 20 number-one singles, including “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” the most-played country song of the same decade.
Three Life Lessons from Toby Keith, not including raising a red solo cup.
Nashville is filled with incredible talent. Yet, only a tiny percentage achieved the ultimate designation of “superstardom.” I believe that destiny called Toby Keith.
With four decades of writing and touring, these three life lessons from Toby Keith signify his contribution to music and his appreciation of national pride.
Everyone “Should’ve Been a Cowboy”
As a wanna-be songwriter, I wished I had penned Keith’s first number-one hit, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.”
The melody and lyrics are surprisingly straightforward. For those of us who grew up with TV Westerns like Gunsmoke, watching Marshall Dillion sweep Miss Kitty off her feet signified that the good guy does win most of the time.
During my college years, I flirted with the cowboy lifestyle while rodeoing. After spending far more time in the dirt than atop a bareback horse or bull for a measly eight seconds, the reality quickly set in: earning a living on the rodeo circuit and chasing buckle bunnies offered no future. But I learned valuable life lessons and enjoyed playing the part.
Keith’s sassy lyrics in “How Do You Like Me Now” presented justice to us guys blown off by the rich girls who doubted our rough-and-tumble personality could meet their financial needs. And what male Country Music fan can’t relate to the storyline outlined in another Keith hit, “As Good As I Once Was.”
It’s true, “I may not be as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.” Toby Keith was good all the time. Plus, anyone that drinks from a “Red Solo Cup” and provides “Beer For Our Horses,” can’t be all bad.
“Made In America” Still Resonates
A small yet devoted percentage of shoppers still look for the “made in America” tag on certain products. Keith’s unblemished message of “put America first” still resonates with millions of hard-working souls.
Other number-one hits like “American Soldier” and “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” elevated the importance of our military and why every country on this planet should think twice before messing with the good ole USA.
“He’s got the red, white, and blue flying’ high on the farmSemper Fi tattooed on his left armSpend a little more at the store for a tag in the back that says U-S-AHe won’t buy nothin’ that he can’t fix with WD-40 and a Craftsman wrench
He ain’t prejudiced, he’s just Made in America”
Even in his much-publicized dispute with the Dixie Chicks, Keith came out on top, proving that national pride trumps wokeness every day of the week.
Prioritizing “My List” of Things To Do Today
Like some of us, I often “major in the minors” and fail to realize that making time for simple pleasures should take precedence over work and home tasks. Sure, prioritizing family and friends may be easier said than done. After his cancer diagnosis, Toby realized the importance in his lyrics. The lesson for us is it shouldn’t take life-threatening news to reinforce what we should already know; that majoring in the majors should be our primary focus.
After a stint in Oklahoma’s booming oil fields, a year at Villanova University, and playing semi-pro football, the 6-foot-4-singer began performing in local bars before making his way to Nashville to try his hand at being a country star. Keith remained an avid University of Oklahoma sports fan and participated in 11 USO tours.
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He signed with Mercury Records not long after arriving in Music City. His debut single quickly topped the Billboard charts. However, the label focused its time and energy on fellow country artist, Shania Twain, prompting a move to Polydor Records in 1994. Through label mergers, Keith returned to Mercury, eventually moving to DreamWorks Records, releasing another number-one blockbuster, “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like That.”
Throughout his battle with cancer, Toby Keith gave us reasons to love, fight, and respect our country.
To the one star I never met, rest in peace. You were an American-made cowboy who understood why not sweating the small stuff, taking pride in our flag, and making time for family and friends rises above everything else. To honor this Oklahoma native, I think I’ll:
“Wade the shore and cast a lineLook up an old lost friend of mineSit on the porch and give my girl a kissStart livin’, that’s the next thing on my list”