Country Hits

Classic Country Music Hits

Country Music

“He stood alone… but his voice carried two hearts” — Blake Shelton quietly visits Toby Keith’s grave and sings the song they never got to finish No livestream. No audience. Just Blake Shelton, a guitar, and the Oklahoma wind on Toby Keith’s first death anniversary. He came to his old friend’s grave with an unfinished promise — and sang the song they once wrote together but never recorded. The cemetery groundskeeper said they’d never heard a sound so sorrowful echo through the afternoon air. Blake said nothing afterward, just placed his cowboy hat on the headstone and walked away in silence. What makes a superstar return to where it all began… just to sing for someone who can no longer hear it?

Blake Shelton Honors Toby Keith After His Peaceful Passing at 62

Country superstar Blake Shelton paid a heartfelt tribute to his dear friend and fellow Oklahoma native, Toby Keith, following the singer’s peaceful passing at age 62 on Monday night.

In an emotional post on X (formerly Twitter), Shelton, 47, wrote, “Even though I knew about your battle these last few months, I never imagined this day would come. Anyone who ever met you understands what I mean. You were the toughest man I ever met.”

He continued, “Thank you, brother, for being a friend, a hero, and an inspiration. There will never be another Toby Keith.”

Toby Keith and Blake Shelton perform together in Las Vegas, April 2018.
Photo by Jason Kempin/ACMA2018/Getty

A Moment of Recognition

Last September, at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards, Shelton had the honor of presenting Keith with the Country Music Icon Award. At the time, Keith reflected on their long friendship, telling PEOPLE, “I’ve known Blake forever. He was on my first big headlining tour back when I earned that status, and I took him under my wing.”

“We’re both from Oklahoma—kindred spirits,” Keith smiled. “We’ve always had fun together.”

The Country Music Community Mourns

Following Keith’s passing, a wave of tributes poured in from across the country music world. Stars including Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, Jason Aldean, Old Dominion, Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, Zach Bryan, Dan + Shay, Luke Combs, Reba McEntire, and Chuck Wicks all expressed their sorrow.

Reba McEntire shared with PEOPLE, “We’ll miss him more than words can say—not just as a colleague, but as a true friend and an incredible person in our industry.” She added, “At least he’s free from pain now. I hope one day I’ll see him again in Heaven. Thank goodness for his music, which will keep his spirit alive on Earth.”

Chuck Wicks, 44, also told PEOPLE, “I’m like any other fan—I grew up with Toby Keith’s music. He was larger than life, and that’s exactly what people loved about him: that big presence, delivering hit after hit.”

Watch Below:


Remembering a Legend

Throughout his remarkable career, Toby Keith captivated audiences with iconic, chart-topping songs such as “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “I Love This Bar,” “As Good as I Once Was,” and “Made in America.” His blend of powerhouse vocals, patriotic spirit, and genuine storytelling made him one of country music’s most beloved figures.

As fans around the world reflect on Keith’s legacy, his music and the memories he created with friends like Blake Shelton will continue to inspire and comfort us all.

Related Post

Country Music

(Ben & Noel Haggard and the quiet love they carry for the woman who silently preserved Merle Haggard’s legacy.) Though “Mama Tried” wasn’t written specifically for Bonnie, it has become Merle’s everlasting apology and tribute to the mother he once broke — and it’s the very song Ben & Noel often choose when remembering him. When the two brothers join voices to perform it in tribute shows, it’s as if somewhere… a mother is sitting in the front row, smiling quietly. “She tried so hard to raise me right, But I refused to do what’s right…” One lyric — two generations — and a mother’s love that never faded.

Country Music

I still get chills thinking about the time Marty Robbins risked it all to save a fellow racer at the 1974 Charlotte 500. With Richard Childress’s car stalled dead across the track, Marty made a split-second choice to smash his own stock car into the wall rather than cause a catastrophic wreck, walking away with broken ribs, a fractured tailbone, and thirty-two stitches—and that humility when he said all he felt was relief that Childress was safe still speaks volumes about who he was as a man. That fearless spirit and selflessness in the face of danger is the very heart of his song “Big Iron” by Marty Robbins, a musical tale of a lone hero who steps forward when no one else can

Country Music

At 67, Alan Jackson makes a surprising confession: “I was wrong all these years…” He recently returned to the small Georgia town where he grew up — not for a concert, not for the cameras — but to sit on the same wooden front porch where his father once taught him about life. No music. Just memories. A quiet breeze. And the soft creak of a rocking chair that had seen generations come and go. Alan whispered, “I chased dreams across the world… but everything that mattered was right here.”

You Missed

Country Music

“He stood alone… but his voice carried two hearts” — Blake Shelton quietly visits Toby Keith’s grave and sings the song they never got to finish No livestream. No audience. Just Blake Shelton, a guitar, and the Oklahoma wind on Toby Keith’s first death anniversary. He came to his old friend’s grave with an unfinished promise — and sang the song they once wrote together but never recorded. The cemetery groundskeeper said they’d never heard a sound so sorrowful echo through the afternoon air. Blake said nothing afterward, just placed his cowboy hat on the headstone and walked away in silence. What makes a superstar return to where it all began… just to sing for someone who can no longer hear it?

Country Music

(Ben & Noel Haggard and the quiet love they carry for the woman who silently preserved Merle Haggard’s legacy.) Though “Mama Tried” wasn’t written specifically for Bonnie, it has become Merle’s everlasting apology and tribute to the mother he once broke — and it’s the very song Ben & Noel often choose when remembering him. When the two brothers join voices to perform it in tribute shows, it’s as if somewhere… a mother is sitting in the front row, smiling quietly. “She tried so hard to raise me right, But I refused to do what’s right…” One lyric — two generations — and a mother’s love that never faded.

Country Music

I still get chills thinking about the time Marty Robbins risked it all to save a fellow racer at the 1974 Charlotte 500. With Richard Childress’s car stalled dead across the track, Marty made a split-second choice to smash his own stock car into the wall rather than cause a catastrophic wreck, walking away with broken ribs, a fractured tailbone, and thirty-two stitches—and that humility when he said all he felt was relief that Childress was safe still speaks volumes about who he was as a man. That fearless spirit and selflessness in the face of danger is the very heart of his song “Big Iron” by Marty Robbins, a musical tale of a lone hero who steps forward when no one else can

Country Music

At 67, Alan Jackson makes a surprising confession: “I was wrong all these years…” He recently returned to the small Georgia town where he grew up — not for a concert, not for the cameras — but to sit on the same wooden front porch where his father once taught him about life. No music. Just memories. A quiet breeze. And the soft creak of a rocking chair that had seen generations come and go. Alan whispered, “I chased dreams across the world… but everything that mattered was right here.”