Zach Bryan and his dad honored late country music legend Toby Keith during his performance as part of the Bud Light Backyard Tour on Friday (Feb. 10) at The Chelsea inside the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada. The GRAMMY Award-winning artist delivered an impromptu performance of Toby Keith’s iconic hit, “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (Angry American).”
Watch Zach Bryan Pay Tribute to Toby Keith In Vegas
“America lost a really important Oklahoma boy this week,” Bryan told the audience before going into his cover of the classic Toby Keith tune, which he called “one of the best songs ever made.” He then went on to perform the tune, which was well-received by the sold-out crowd in Sin City and prompted a massive sing-along.
During his performance of the Keith song, Zach Bryan changed a lyric from “my daddy served in the Army” to “my daddy served in the Navy” in honor of his father, who was watching side stage and later joined him for the cover center stage.
Concert Was Part Of The Bud Light Backyard Tour
In addition to paying tribute to Toby Keith, 27-year-old Zach Bryan also performed some of his fan-favorite hits such as “Nine Ball,” “Hey Driver,” “Something In The Orange” and more during his 90-minute set. He even surprised the crowd with a special appearance from stand-up comedian and Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast host, Shane Gillis, who joined him onstage during his performance of “Revival.”
At the show, Zach Bryan also revealed to the audience that he extended his partnership with Bud Light, which will serve as the official beer sponsor of his upcoming Quittin’ Time Tour. Portions of every Bud Light sold at his concerts will be donated to Folds of Honor, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to families of fallen or disabled military members and first responders. Bryan will also match each of the donations.
“I was in the Navy for eight years … we’ve donated $27 million to Folds of Honor. Starting in March, part of every Bud Light sold on tour will be donated to Folds of Honor, and I am going to match it,” Bryan revealed during the show.
Shared A Heartfelt Message In Honor Of The Late Toby Keith
Zach Bryan also took to social media with a heartfelt message upon hearing the news of Toby Keith’s passing.
“Too many rides in my old man’s car listening to Toby Keith. really hard thing to hear. rest in peace friend we love you,” Bryan wrote at the time on X, formerly known as Twitter. “”America lost a fuc*in hero man.” At the time, he also quoted several of Keith’s iconic lyrics, including “should’ve learned to rope and ride,” “We’ll put a boot in your ass its the American way” and “come as you are, I love this bar.”
Toby Keith Passed Away After Stomach Cancer Battle
The powerful tribute performance came just days after the Toby Keith died. Keith passed away at the age of 62 years old on February 5, following a more than two-year battle with stomach cancer. A representative for the country music icon shared the sad news with fans via a statement on his official website and social media profiles.
“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family” a statement on his official social media read. “He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
Toby is survived by his wife, Tricia Lucus, as well as his children, Krystal Keith, Shelley Covel Rowland, and Stelen Keith Covel. Keith is also survived by his four grandchildren.
His death comes just weeks after what are now known as his final concerts in Las Vegas. The three concerts celebrated Keith’s iconic career in country music and found the hitmaker performing dozens of his chart-topping hits, including “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue,” “Beer For My Horses,” “Red Solo Cup,” and many more.
Stomach Cancer Diagnosis
He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in October 2022. In June of 2022, he revealed his diagnosis with fans on social media and was forced to cancel all of his scheduled concerts at the time.
“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 “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” singer revealed on social media at the time.
Toby Keith Was A Country Music Icon
With 32 No.1 singles and 40 million albums sold, Toby Keith was 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 was 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.
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. He also recently received People’s Choice Country Awards’ Country Icon Award.
His music has garnered tens of billions of streams and over 100 million terrestrial radio spins to date.
Toby Keith Foundation — OK Kids Korral
Keith’s most rewarding experiences, however, have come 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.
