The Truth Behind Toby Keith's Longtime Support Of The Military
Toby Keith was a country and western music icon who prided himself on being a true patriot. Keith was an outspoken Donald Trump backer and a fierce supporter of law enforcement and the military. And he put his money where his mouth was. Keith participated in 18 tours with the United Service Organizations (USO) during his career. The non-profit stages concerts for United States Armed Forces members and their families.
Following news of Keith's death from stomach cancer on February 5, J.D. Crouch, USO CEO, paid his respects to the late singer. "Toby's commitment to supporting the people serving in our nation's military and their families around the world made him a beloved figure within the military community and at the USO," Crouch told WKRN News 2. He said Keith's performances reached over 250,000 service members. Crouch lauded the Nashville star for his unwavering support, noting, "His legacy will endure through his music and the lasting impact he made on the lives of those he touched."
Keith immortalized his love of the military in the 2003 track, "American Soldier," one of several songs he recorded that became post-9/11 anthems. "Beside my brothers and my sisters, I will proudly take a stand. When liberty's in jeopardy, I will always do what's right," he sings in the chorus. "I'm out here on the front lines. So, sleep in peace tonight. American soldier. I'm an American. An American. An American soldier." However, despite his ride-or-die support of the armed forces, the musician never actually served himself. So, what was the driving force behind Keith's longtime support of the military?
Toby Keith came from a military background
Given Toby Keith's outspoken love and support of the U.S. military, it may come as a surprise that he never served any time himself. However, his dad did, and it made a lasting impression on Keith. "My father was a soldier. He taught his kids to respect veterans. It's that respect and the thank-you that we have a military that's in place and ready to defend our nation, our freedom," Keith told the American Forces Press Service (via The Tennessean) in 2009.
Keith wrote his controversial 2002 hit "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" in honor of his father, who died in a car crash the previous year. "I thought about my dad being the veteran he was and the flag-flying patriot he was. He did lose his right eye, he did come home, and he never did gripe about it, so that's the reason I wrote the song for him," Keith told CMT.
The singer often came under fire for his lack of military service. Still, he defended his armed forces track record in an interview with The Boot. Keith blamed the absence of a draft for never enlisting. Still, he insisted that he'd visited more war zones than many soldiers had. "I've been on some bases on some front lines that a lot of enlisted people haven't," Keith said. "I have soldiers and marines [ask me], 'Where'd you go?' And I'll tell them, and they'll go, 'Dang, I didn't even go up there!'"
Red, white, and blue, through and through
Toby Keith's lack of military service did nothing to damper his passion for the armed forces. The singer has a wealth of nationalistic anthems to his name, including "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)." Military.com notes that Keith wrote the song to perform for service members only and never intended it to be released publicly. Its lyrics are unabashedly patriotic: "Justice will be served, and the battle will rage. This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage. And you'll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A. 'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass. It's the American way."
When the song was released in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, it quickly became a favorite among U.S. troops. Still, not everybody was such a fan. The song led to one of the biggest country music feuds of all time: Keith vs. The Chicks, formerly known as The Dixie Chicks. "You know, some people wept when they heard it. Some people got goosebumps. Some people were emotionally moved. Some cheered, turned their fists in the air," Keith told CBS News.
The Chicks' lead vocalist, Natalie Maines, wasn't one of them. "It's ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant," she said in a 2002 interview with The Los Angeles Daily News (via Us Weekly). "It targets an entire culture and not just the bad people who did bad things. You've got to have some tact."