JUST IN: Star-Studded ‘Toby Keith: American Icon’ Concert To Take Place In Nashville

The event will feature performances by Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, and more.

By

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

June 26, 2024

at

8:45 am

Share on:

Toby Keith; Photo by Katherine Bomboy/NBC

Some of country music’s biggest stars are coming together to honor the late Toby Keith at a star-studded concert event in Nashville. 

Taking place on July 29 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Toby Keith: American Icon will feature performances by Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Jelly Roll, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson, The War And Treaty, and more. The event will be taped and will air on NBC on Wednesday, August 28, from 9-11 pm ET/PT.

TOBY KEITH: AMERICAN ICON
TOBY KEITH: AMERICAN ICON

This once-in-a-lifetime concert will celebrate the life and legacy of Toby Keith and a portion of the proceeds will benefit support The Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral, a free home for families with children facing serious illnesses. Additionally, a portion of ticket sales will also contribute to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a top-rated children’s hospital in the nation and one of the leading institutions in the Southeast. 

Tickets for Toby Keith: American Icon will be available for purchase on Ticketmaster starting at 10 a.m. CT this Friday, June 28.

Following a two-year battle with stomach cancer, Toby Keith passed away at the age of 62 on February 5, 2024. His death sent shock waves through the country music community and many artists responded with touching social media tributes.

Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith; Photo by Erika Goldring, Getty Images for BMI
Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith; Photo by Erika Goldring, Getty Images for BMI

His passing came just weeks after he took the stage in Las Vegas for three sold-out concerts. Those concerts would unknowingly become his last.

During one of his final interviews with News 9’s Robin Marsh, the lauded singer/songwriter opened up about the “rollercoaster” of cancer.

 “I am…I am not going to let this define what my future is,” he said, adding, “It ain’t up to us.”

Instead, the superstar promised to let his faith guide his way. 

Toby Keith; Photo Courtesy New 9
Toby Keith; Photo Courtesy New 9

“You have to have your faith. Thank God that I got it,” he shared. “You take it for granted on days that things are good and you lean on it when days are bad and it’s taught me to lean on a little more every day.”

With 32 No.1 singles and 40 million albums sold, Toby Keith is regarded as one of country music’s biggest hitmakers. He wrote a chart-topping hit every year for 20 consecutive years, including “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American),” “I Love This Bar,” “Beer For My Horses,” and “As Good As I Once Was.”

He is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (having already been inducted into the all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015), and was honored with the Academy of Country Music’s prestigious Merle Haggard Spirit Award.

Toby Keith; Photo Provided
Toby Keith; Photo Provided

Throughout his career, the Oklahoma native received the BMI Icon Award as well as the BMI Country Songwriter of the Year award three times, and his hit single “As Good As I Once Was” was awarded BMI’s Country Song of the Year in 2006.

His music has garnered more than 10 billion streams and 100 million terrestrial radio spins to date.

Keith’s most rewarding experiences, however, came from giving back locally, nationally, and abroad. His annual golf classics fund the Toby Keith Foundation and OK Kids Korral, a cost-free home for families of children dealing with critical illnesses, and his 11 USO tours have enhanced the lives of nearly 256,000 troops and military families. 

In 2014, he was given the Spirit of the USO Award for his work with the organization, which has so far included 11 tours and more than 285 events in over 18 countries. In an even more personal instance of philanthropy, he became the face of his hometown after it was ravaged by a tornado, shouldering the cleanup, and headlining the 2013 OK Twister Relief Concert.

YouTube video
Share on:

Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.