Blake Shelton will replace Toby Keith as the headliner at the upcoming Veteran’s Day concert in Coachella, California at Coachella Crossroads next to Spotlight 29 Casino.
The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians Veteran’s Day event, dubbed A Salute To Our Heroes, marks the second country concert that Coachella Crossroads has hosted for Veterans and will take place on November 11. The first event for Veterans at the venue was headlined by “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” singer Toby Keith in 2021.
Keith was scheduled to return to headline this year’s concert but was forced to cancel his performance after he revealed he was diagnosed with stomach cancer earlier this summer.
“Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I’ve spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax,” the country hitmaker wrote on social media on June 12, revealing his diagnosis with fans.
Keith is currently “spending this time” with his family, and it remains unclear as to when Keith will return to the stage, however he promised fans that he will see them “sooner than later [and he] I can’t wait.”
In addition to canceling his headlining performance at the Veteran’s Day event, he also had to cancel all of his upcoming tour dates.
Shelton’s performance at Coachella Crossroads will mark his first time performing at the California venue.
“We are very happy that Blake Shelton has agreed to headline A Salute to Our Heroes concert on Veterans Day,” said Darrell Mike, Chairman of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. “Blake’s longtime commitment to veterans is what made him an ideal choice to perform at this event honoring those who have served. The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians plans to make this an annual celebration held at Coachella Crossroads.”
The event will also serve as a charity fundraiser for several local organizations such as The American Legion, Independence Fund, Riverside and San Bernardino County Deputy Sheriff Relief Funds, and the CHP 11-99 Foundation.
Tickets for A Salute To Our Heroes go on-sale on Friday (Aug. 12) at 10 A.M. via Ticketmaster.com.
Toby Keith and Blake Shelton are both longtime supporters of the United States military.
As a proud American, Keith is known for such patriotic anthems such as “American Soldier,” “Made in America,” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”
Since 2002, Keith has visited more than 250,000 troops in 17 countries through his work with the USO. In April 2014, his generous support was acknowledged as he was awarded the Spirit of the USO Award.
Shelton’s support and connection with the United States stems from his brother, who served in the Army, and his father, Dick Shelton, who served in the honor guard in Korea just after the Korean War.
“My dad was, just after the Korean War, in the honor guard and he served in Korea. Then my brother was in the Army. So I was raised at points thinking, “I guess I’m also going in at some point.” But there wasn’t any call for a guitar player in our military,” Shelton recently told PEOPLE.
Recently, Shelton teamed up with NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson to design a special helmet, which was deemed the “Helmet For Heroes” and honored Shelton and Johnson’s family members who served in the military.