Concert Dates, Concert Tour News, Artist Information

NPR Revisits a Classic Keith Track

NPR has recently taken stock of the most impactful slew of song-and-dance antics of the 2000s when it comes to all things music, and just in time for the holiday season that will soon take us into a new decade. The ‘00s have been significant in the changing of the times for popular music, and with it has come a newfound sense of patriotism showing up in mainstream (and especially country) music. The Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks are largely to thank for this trend, and it’s none other than Toby Keith who helped propel the movement.

As NPR pointed out, Toby Keith’s patriotic song “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” is one of the most memorable songs of the 2000s, making an impact on the decade and helping to lead the charge for the U-S-of-A. Other post-9/11 anthems highlighted in the package of significant tunes during this time included Alan Jackson’s “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning” and John Ashcroft’s “Let the Eagle Soar,” and these songs are sure to be remembered for years to come, as well.

What else has had an impact on the 2000s? NPR’s other decade-moving songs are available on its website, but it may not get any better than Toby Keith and his patriotism.

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Keith’s New Song Still on the Rise

Toby Keith’s hit single “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” just might be the country singer’s next No. 1, as the recently-released tune about grieving for his good friend Wayman Tisdale is still on the rise on the Billboard charts. “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song),” a brutally honest song paying tribute to the basketball player and jazz musician, landed at No. 23 on the Country Songs chart this week, up from No. 25 last week and marking the highest number it’s been since its release seven weeks ago.

A slower gem on Toby Keith’s current album American Ride, “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” is a simple yet emotion-packed eulogy turned into a melodic song, and Keith’s music video for the tune is especially heartfelt. The song was written for Wayman Tisdale after his death but will likely become a grieving song for the nation to embrace, and its rise on the Billboard charts signifies the single’s sentimental appeal and high-quality stature. “Cryin’ for Me” still has a ways to go before it hits No. 1 on the Country Songs chart, but this week’s chart-topper, Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now,” took 14 weeks to get to the top, meaning that Toby Keith’s current hit single might be there in that amount of time, as well.

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Keith Saddles up for 2010 Rodeo

Toby Keith wouldn’t miss a rowdy show for his life, and so it is that he’s already been confirmed as a performer at the 2010 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. The annual stock show and rodeo event is one of the biggest happenings of the year in San Antonio, and Keith will join the roping and riding activities as they come stampeding into Texas from Feb. 4 to 21, 2010. The 2010 performance will mark Toby Keith’s fourth appearance at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo and his first since 2002.

Also slated to join Toby Keith in next year’s big stock show and rodeo in San Antonio are several country music stars including John Rich and Cowboy Troy (Feb. 8), James Otto (Feb. 13), Rodney Atkins (Feb. 13) and Jake Owen (Feb. 20). On another note, Jake Owen’s performance at the 2010 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is rather ironic, as his current hit single is one called “8 Second Ride.”

Now that he’s nailed down a show at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, Toby Keith already has a sprinkling of tour dates through next spring. After February’s big appearance at the stock show and rodeo, Keith will perform in April at the annual Stagecoach Festival in Indio, CA. Stay tuned for more tour dates to keep popping up soon!

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From Early Reports, All Is Well for Keith Abroad

Toby Keith is in the middle of a two week-long jaunt in Europe as he takes his America’s Toughest Tour to international stages for the first time ever (not counting his USO tours), and this country music tough guy has already proven to be a huge success abroad. Reports from Keith’s first international show in Belfast last week have been published, and it seems as if this cowboy crooner has done nothing but impress the huge crowds abroad, bringing his rough-and-ready hits to the stage in classic Toby Keith form.

At last weekend’s concert in Belfast at the Odyssey Arena, Toby Keith played all his biggest hits in a two-hour performance that was preceded by opening act Mica Roberts, belting out his biggest breadwinners like “I Love This Bar,” “Get Drunk and Be Somebody,” “I’m Just Talkin’ about Tonight,” “Who’s Your Daddy” and, of course, the infamous “I’ll Never Smoke Weed with Willie Again,” a favorite at his live performances.

This week brings several more performances for Toby Keith, and the “American Ride” vocalist next jets to Helsinki, Finland for a concert tomorrow, next playing in Oslo and Bergen, Norway this weekend to wrap up the international leg of Toby Keith’s America’s Toughest Tour.

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Keith Featured on GAC’s Collection

Toby Keith is currently on one mega escapade around Europe, but while he’s busy gallivanting around the globe his presence is still felt here in the U.S. – and we’re not just talking about his radio-ready single “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” hitting the airwaves. Keith was featured in a GAC special “The Collection: Toby Keith” over the weekend, where the country music hotshot spoke about all of his hit music videos that have landed on the GAC circuit over the past several years. “The Collection: Toby Keith” aired last night, Nov. 15, at 9 p.m. on GAC, making a repeat this morning, Nov. 16, at 1 a.m. EST.

Keith’s canon of music videos features all kinds of rowdy themes, from bar fights and scantily-clad women to just this cowboy crooner playing that old guitar in style. Music videos like “American Ride,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “I Love This Bar” and “I Wanna Talk about Me” are some of the bright spots of Toby Keith’s music video career, so check them out and scour GAC for a repeat airing of “The Collection: Toby Keith” as it takes a look at the Big Dog Daddy’s greatest music video moments.

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Toby’s Big Week Yields Phenomenal Results

Toby Keith is more than proving that CMA Awards aren’t the equivalent to success in the country music industry, and he’s taking the world by storm right now with a slew of performances in Europe. While Keith sings his heart out for fans around the globe, his new hit single “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” continues its steady climb on the charts, making for one very successful week for Toby Keith despite his snub from the CMAs.

“Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song),” a deeply personal track paying tribute to Keith’s good friend Wayman Tisdale, who passed away earlier this year, has been an instant hit on country radio, and the song soared to No. 25 on the Country Songs chart this week. Up from 33 last week, “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” has been on the charts for six weeks and only continues to climb the rungs of the chart. This week marks the highest the song has reached on the Country Songs chart, and it’s sure to keep rising as the single gains heavier radio exposure.

In other news, Toby Keith’s American Ride continues to hold steady at No. 32 on the Billboard 200, planting its roots in the Top 50 during its fifth week of release. Will Toby Keith’s stock surge once he’s done with his international tour? Stay tuned to find out!

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Swift Reigns at CMAs while Keith Jets to Europe

Toby Keith doesn’t talk about being snubbed at the CMA Awards anymore, but it’s no big surprise that the “American Ride” vocalist was nowhere to be found at last night’s CMAs in Nashville. Instead, the platinum-selling artist was on a plane to Europe, as he begins his month-long international American Ride Tour overseas today. Keith’s exclusion from the CMAs is nothing new, and this year he wasn’t even considered for an award. Last night’s show was all about Taylor Swift, anyway, as the country-pop princess took home four awards including Entertainer of the Year.

While Swift was busy collecting trophies at last night’s CMA Awards, Toby Keith was Europe-bound, preparing for tonight’s first show abroad in Dublin, Ireland. This weekend, Keith will be one busy cowboy, playing a show in Belfast, Northern Ireland tomorrow night before jumping to Copenhagen, Denmark for a show Sunday night (Nov. 15) and then another in Stockholm, Sweden on Monday night (Nov. 16). From there, Keith will travel to Finland and Norway before ending his international string with a performance in Bergen on Nov. 22, and this leg of his current tour is sure to be more exciting than the CMAs, anyway.

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More on Wayman Tisdale

In light of Toby Keith’s new hit single “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” and its music video’s newfound home on CMT, today is all about the life and time of the great Wayman Tisdale, for whom the song was written. Tisdale died earlier this year (May 15) at age 44 after losing a battle with bone cancer, but while he was alive he made up for lost time, becoming famous not only as an NBA basketball player but also as a talented jazz bass guitarist.

Wayman Tisdale was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1964 and grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, playing basketball at the University of Oklahoma for the Sooners before being drafted into the NBA with the Indiana Pacers in 1985. During his spectacular NBA career, Tisdale played for the Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns before retiring in 1997, soon thereafter launching a full-blown music career. Tisdale met Toby Keith at a Sooners game and the two became good friends thereafter, with Keith sticking by his pal Tisdale throughout his battle with bone cancer.

Tisdale was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2007, undergoing chemotherapy and even losing part of his right leg in 2008. Following the procedure where his leg was removed, Toby Keith visited him in the hospital, and Keith recalled his thoughts while going to see him in the hospital thereafter, as: “He just got his leg cut off; he ain’t gonna be in no mood for visitors. I go up there, he’s all high-fiving, and he looks like he’s just got a tooth filled.”

Ultimately, Tisdale lost his life this past May, and Toby Keith’s new song “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” is paying tribute to his fellow Oklahoman and dear friend. The song is the newest out from Keith’s American Ride, and is sure to make a splash on the scene in the upcoming weeks.

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Keith is Cryin’ for Wayman

Toby Keith premiered the music video for his new song “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” last week, and this new single couldn’t be any more different than his last hit song “American Ride.” A saxophone-included ballad and tribute to the great NBA player and jazz musician Wayman Tisdale, who lost a long battle with bone cancer earlier this year, “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” is a deeply personal song written and performed by Toby Keith to honor his longtime friend.

The music video for the song premiered on CMT last week and has become an instant classic, with the tune featuring heartwarming lyrics like “I’m gonna miss that smile/ I’m gonna miss you my friend/ Even though it hurts the way it ended up/ I’ll do it all again/ So play it sweet in heaven/ ‘Cause that’s right where you want to be/ I’m not cryin’ cause I feel so sorry for you/ I’m cryin’ for me.” The music video adds a bittersweet touch, fading through home videos of Tisdale and his family and of Tisdale and Keith over the years. “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” is most certainly a Toby Keith classic like we’ve never heard, and it’s sure to skyrocket straight to the top of the charts in the upcoming weeks.

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A Future for TK Steelman?

If the clothing line TK Steelman looks rugged enough for the American cowboy yet chic enough for the urban contemporary look, that’s because it has been designed by country music’s own Toby Keith. TK Steelman, Toby Keith’s contemporary line of men’s and women’s clothing, has been a process in the works over the last year, and it could soon start pumping out volume to make cameos in clothing stores around or shortly after this Christmas.

TK Steelman is a fashion line largely meant for the urban cowboy, and the label’s rugged clothes have captured Toby Keith’s very essence. Of its production, Keith said, “I had some clothing designers come to me, and they said, ‘We want to put a clothing line out on you. We want some kind of affordable [clothing], yet we want the hot, new-type shirts, we want the tailored button-up shirts that would fit a strong guy in the shoulders and still fit him in the waist without it hanging on you like a muumuu.’” And so TK Steelman was birthed. The clothing line’s website (tksteelman.com) is up and running, and the women’s division of the line is expected to launch in the spring of 2010.

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