Toby Keith touts hot women,

Toby Keith touts hot women, good booze, fast trucks — and Willie!

Country star Toby Keith wore the U.S. flag on his sleeve — and at times, as decoration on his guitar — during Thursday night’s raucous show at Fair Park’s Gexa Energy Pavilion, starting his 105-minute set with “American Ride” and “Made in America” and ending it with “American Soldier” and “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue (the Angry American).” In between there were sparklers, flames and smoke, all bathed in the colors of Old Glory.

From Keith’s song choices, its’ pretty easy to discern what he loves most about America, in addition to the troops, of course: fast trucks (always a Ford, of course, in homage to his tour sponsor), hot women, good booze and Willie Nelson.

The drinking portion of the playlist included “Get Drunk and Be Somebody,” “I Love This Bar” and the ubiquitous “Red Solo Cup,” which inspired the evening’s most heartfelt (and in tune) sing along. For Willie, we had “Beer For My Horses” and “I’ll Never Smoke Weed With Willie Again,” which, as Keith noted, you’ll never hear on the radio, but you’ll hear at every one of his shows.

He combined the lures of women and booze on “Whiskey GirlÖ” and “I Like Girls That Drink Beer.” Being Toby, there was also just a hint of ego on display, in “I Wanna Talk About MeÖ,” “Who’s Your Daddy?” “As Good As I’ve Ever BeenÖ” and “How Do You Like Me Now?Ö”

The singer-songwriter was in terrific voice, and seemed in an introspective mood, spending much of the concert with his eyes closed, deep in the music. And you can’t doubt his sincerity or commitment to the troops – he brought service members onstage during “American Soldier,” and invited military and their families to “eat and drink on me” after the show at his new I Love This Bar & Grill inDallas.

One of the show’s highlights was the raunchy “Get Out of My Car” (the preceeding lyrics are “get out of your clothes or”), which featured band members doing their hilarious version of a redneck chorus line.

My only complaint: Keith’s such a great songwriter, and I wish he’d give more concert time to new material. His latest CD, 2011’s Clancy’s Tavern, has some gems, including the title song (which he didn’t sing, despite references to the tune in an opening video and via a giant neon sign), “I Need to Hear a Country Song” and “Club Zydeco Moon” that would have been fabulous additions to the show.

Toby Keith doesn’t let it rain on his Red Rock Resort parade

Toby Keith doesn’t let it rain on his Red Rock Resort parade

Some things in life are worth the wait. Add Toby Keith to that list. After a more than two-hour delay due to lightning and rain Saturday night, the country superstar hit the Red Rock Resort Amphitheater stage to a resounding roar from concertgoers at his “Live in Overdrive Tour” stop.
It was the same roar that erupted when it was announced shortly after 10 p.m. over the intercom system inside Red Rock Resort that the concert was still a go. (Incidentally, the Bloc Party and Santigold show at Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas also was delayed, while the All-American Rejects and Eve 6 continued as planned, except that fans weren’t allowed in the pool at Mandalay Bay Beach.)
The rain cooled the outside temperature in Summerlin, and Keith fans were ready to party with their red Solo cups and large, plastic white Red Rock Resort sippy cups filled with drinks and flashing-light “ice cubes” by tour sponsor Belvedere vodka and its attractive and friendly staff. Despite the delay, the crowd was more than 95 percent retained post-evacuation, and the mix of cowboys, cowgirls, beach boys and clubgoers was surprisingly free of public intoxication (at least in this journalist’s immediate area).
The evening was everything one would expect from a concert by Keith, whose Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill is at Harrah’s: an energetic, yet chill party atmosphere; a lot of No. 1 hits (he’s had 22 of them, so far); an, ahem, sprinkling of F-bombs (despite there being children in the audience); and a big, heaping and unapologetic dose of patriotism from the conservative Democrat turned Independent. However, not many boots, chaps and cowboy hats, surprisingly.
The set list included “American Life,” “Beers Ago,” “I Wanna Talk About Me,” “Whiskey Girl” (with opening act Brantley Gilbert), “Who’s Your Daddy?” “Red Solo Cup,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “I Love This Bar,” “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “How Do You Like Me Now?!” and “A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action.” Keith slowed it down with a ballad for his encore, pulled a young man onstage who held up an American flag sign that included the words “Coast Guard Sandoval” and ended the night with “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (the Angry American).”
Two hilarious songs that will never be recorded were two highlights of the evening: “Smoking Weed With Willie Nelson” and “Get Out of Your Clothes, or Get Out of My Car.” The often-controversial and outspoken Keith kept his political views in check for the night, instead giving fans what they needed -- a big party after waiting more than two hours, and he delivered. Keith thanked firefighters and the military (and their families) for their service and sacrifice and toasted to “whiskey for my men and beer for my horses.”
The lightning and rain put the kibosh on Gilbert, but Keith graciously invited his opener onstage for a few songs, and the audience happily received the singer, who showed off his guns in a black tank top. One brilliant stage prop: Keith’s microphone stand included a holder for his red Solo cup. Filler up!

Krystal Keith Gives Props to Dad Toby for Normal Childhood

Krystal Keith Gives Props to Dad Toby for Normal Childhood

TKO Artist Management Toby Keith's daughter Krystal may have grown up connected to the celebrity world with a rich and famous dad, but she says things around the Keith house in Oklahoma were actually as normal as could be. In fact, Krystal says most of the time her dad was so diligent about making time for his kids that they never even knew when he was away on tour.

"My dad made sure that we didn't notice when he was gone," Krystal tells California country radio station K-FROG. "He would always make time for us and was always there when we needed him. We never missed out on "Tickle Time" with him. That was our special thing. I can't recall a time when he wasn't there."

Though her dad racked up plenty of chart-topping hits and awards during the years she was growing up, Krystal says she didn't really get any flack from fellow students about her famous father being on the radio. "Most of the kids did not know that my father was Toby Keith, and even if they did, they would not make such a big deal out of it because going to school in Oklahoma was not like going to school in Nashville where everyone wants to meet someone famous."

Krystal is following in Dad's footsteps and has been busy working on her upcoming debut album, which will come out on Toby's Show Dog-Universal record label. The project will be produced by Toby and Mark Wright, and it won't be the first time the two have worked together professionally. The brunette beauty actually teamed up with her father in 2004 to cut a remake of the tune "Mockingbird" for Toby's "Greatest Hits 2" CD. It charted in the Top 30 on the Billboard country songs chart.

Krystal describes her music as country infused with blues, and says she's very ladylike but with some rough edges. Her debut CD will reportedly showcase some of that unflinching, sometimes unfiltered honesty that she likely inherited from her dad. And since Toby keeps expanding his restaurant/nightclub empire, his daughter will likely have some built-in places to get booked as she begins to launch her career. In fact, Krystal performed at the recent opening of Toby's I Love This Bar & Grill in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., last Friday to a packed house. 

Toby Keith Not Mean Guy Who Won't Help Kids, Says Manager

Toby Keith Not Mean Guy Who Won't Help Kids, Says Manager

Toby Keith is being accused of refusing to sign a guitar to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  His road manager is calling the accusation "just stupid."  The story first came out last week that Toby wouldn't sign the guitar backstage at a concert in Nebraska after it was auctioned off as part of a fundraiser. Supposedly, Toby's management knew about the auction, but when the guitar was presented to the star he refused to autograph it. His road manager said they had no such request.  "For them to think that Toby would disregard a great charity like St. Jude when he has his own foundation that supports and has the same goals is just stupid."
Jason Aldean is asking those fans enjoying his latest single "Take a Little Ride," to send in pictures of themselves jamming to his new song. Whether it's in a car, on a bike or on a plane, Jason wants to see your photos.  Just email them as an attachment to jasonaldean@contests.sparkart.com. Among those who send in their photos, one winner will get an Ultimate Jason Aldean Prize Pack including Aldean dog tags, leather travel wallet, bottle opener, camo hat and a t-shirt.  Two runners up will get the Jason Aldean camo hat and a t-shirt as well. Photos are being accepted through September 3.
One million.  That is how many tickets the ‘Brothers of the Sun’ Tour, with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, has officially sold. The tour is the highest-grossing of 2012 so far.  “I’m so grateful to all of the fans that have made this tour such an amazing success and a nonstop party night after night,” Chesney said. “Being out on the road with Tim has been incredible and we still have a lot of songs left to sing this summer.”

Garth Brooks has been added to the line-up for a televsion special saluting teachers.  "Teachers Rock" will air on CBS next Friday, August 17th.  Carrie Underwood and (ironically) Dierks Bentley are the other country stars performing to honor America’s teachers.  Hmmm....Dierks will be in Wichita at Hartman Arena that night, so we know the special was taped in advance.  Teachers Rock airs Friday, August 17 at 7 central on CBS.

The third-season premiere of "The Voice" is only a few weeks away, and the show is going to be making some changes this time. While the four coaches -- including Blake Shelton, will each return to the famous red swivel seats, they will have fewer people to keep track of.  The producers believe there were too many contestants and it was hard to fall in love with any of them. That may be why the winners of the first two seasons have not transformed their appearance on the show into success off the show, unlike the show's talent-search competitor, "American Idol." Season three of "The Voice" premieres Monday, Sept. 10, at 8:00 PM ET on NBC.

Toby Keith's set for Tucson Mall 

Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill is coming to Tucson this fall.
The restaurant, with its emphasis on Southern cuisine and live entertainment from national and regional country artists, could open around Oct. 1 in the Tucson Mall, said Frank Capri, CEO of Phoenix area-based owners Boomtown Entertainment LLC.
Construction on the 20,000-square-foot space across from Cheesecake Factory has been ongoing since April, said Boomtown President Greg McClure.
"We can't wait to get opened," Capri said. "It's going to be a big venue, state of the art. Great food, great music. There's going to be nothing like it in Tucson."
This will be the second Arizona location for Toby Keith's; the first opened in Mesa in spring 2010. A third restaurant will open in Phoenix's west valley - think University of Phoenix Stadium area - later this year, Capri said.
Keith launched the restaurant a few years ago with three locations in his native Oklahoma. Since then, another dozen have opened, 11 of them owned by Boomtown. A location in Las Vegas is owned by Harrah's Las Vegas.
Toby Keith's menu includes Southern specialities such as barbecue ribs, chicken and pork, burgers and chicken fried steak along with he-man sounding appetizers and state-fair worthy desserts. Appetizers include Toby's Platter - a plethora of nachos, wings, mozzarella sticks, deep-fried jalapeno poppers and mac and cheese wedges, served with marinara, blue cheese and ranch dipping sauces. Dessert is highlighted by a fried Twinkie.
But the menu is not what lures country music fans to Toby's table. It's the chance to sit at the giant guitar-shaped bar - painted red, white and blue like the American flag - and watch a rising Nashville singer perform on a stage that's close enough to see the sweat on his/her brow.
The bars host live music three or four nights a week - including every Friday and Saturday night, McClure said - with artists ranging from freshly signed Nashville newcomers to fan-favorite Texas red dirt singers.
Upcoming shows at the Mesa location: Scott Weiland, former frontman for Stone Temple Pilots (who includes country as part of his repertoire as a solo artist), on Sunday; Granger Smith July 27; and Mark Wills Aug. 17.
Boomtown officials are confident the concept will fly with Tucson's strong country music fan base; Keith has a devoted following here that filled Casino del Sol's AVA in 2004, the last time he played a Tucson show.
"It's a great market for us," said Capri. "We love the town, love the people. We're going to be there for a long time."

 

Toby Keith’s ‘Red Solo Cup’ Becomes Singer’s All-Time

Toby Keith’s ‘Red Solo Cup’ Becomes Singer’s All-Time Best-Selling Single

 

Never underestimate the power of partying. Toby Keith’s party-hearty anthem ‘Red Solo Cup’ has been certified double platinum by the RIAA after selling two million digital downloads, which also makes it Keith’s career top seller. The news comes just six months after the song was certified as the first platinum single of  his career in January.
The second single from Keith’s album ‘Clancy’s Tavern,’ the song was written by the Warren Brothers along with Brett and Jim Beavers. “I have to give Jim Beavers most of the credit on this song. He drove the boat on it,” Brett Warren told Taste of Country last October. “He is just hysterically funny. Basically what he was doing with those lyrics was trying to make me, his brother and Brad laugh.”
The song was never intended to be anything other than lighthearted fun. But it was a match that started a big fire. “For better or worse, ‘Red Solo Cup’ is a song that will crawl into the folds of your brain and hatch babies . . . it works because Keith makes no effort to pretend this is anything but a simple and stupid ditty,” Taste of Country’s review said. Keith himself admitted the track was “like a nursery song stupid.”
That simple appeal propelled the video for the song to go viral upon its release, spawning more than 16.5 million views on YouTube to date. ‘Red Solo Cup’ reached No. 9 on the Billboard Country Songs chart, and Keith also took home the ACM Video of the Year award for it, too. Chord Overstreet and members of New Directions performed the tune on FOX’s smash musical TV series ‘Glee,’ while country comedian Cledus T. Judd has since parodied the track by recording ‘Double D Cups.’
“To record that song and to release a video on it … that’s insane!” Brett Warren told Taste of Country of Keith. “It’s so insane! I love him for it, because I really do think it’s the dumbest song he’s ever recorded, and it might be the greatest song he’s ever recorded, so I don’t know!”

 

Toby Keith More Than a Dozen Songs

Toby Keith More Than a Dozen Songs Deep Into New Album

His current gold-selling collection, ‘Clancy’s Tavern,’ may still be churning out hits, but as soon as his current Top 10 single, ‘Beers Ago,’ runs its course, Toby Keith will already have his new album prepped, as he has “14 or 15 things” already recorded for his 17th studio album.
“It’s the same stuff I usually do,” Keith tells Billboard of his forthcoming project. “It’s my world. It’s really difficult to put my finger on what I write about because I don’t really sit down and try to force anything. I only sit down and write when I have a good idea, and it can be about anything so there’s never really a theme or a preconceived idea of what I want the album to sound like. I write all year and then I go in, and I always over-cut.”
While Keith is prepared with plenty of songs in the queue, he’s not really sure which ones to roll out for the new album. “I don’t really know what 10 or 11 (songs) are going to make the album yet,” admits Keith. “I just go in and get a good vocal on everything and then I’ll start seeing which three or four gravitate to the top and I’ll start building the core of my album right there, and then I’ll fill in what I don’t have.”
One song has already become a clear favorite of the new album, with Keith speculating it as a future release. “Everybody heard it in the studio and was like, ‘You’ve got to release that at some point,’” he says of a track called ‘I Like That Drink Beer.’ The Oklahoma native also hopes to include a song for his golfing fans.
“[It] kind of puts everything into perspective for all the golfers in the world,” says the singer. “It lets you know if you’re not on TV, you’re not a very good golfer. I’ve played it about four or five times in public and got rave reviews on it.”
Though Keith is focused on the future, he also looks back in appreciation of the commercial achievements of ‘Clancy’s Tavern’ — more specifically, the platinum-selling crossover success of ‘Red Solo Cup.’
“I’ve done things like that before and they’ve gotten big with my audience but not big in the world,” Keith notes. “This was one of those deals where it just went to that next level, and you can’t foresee that; if you could, then everyone would be successful like that.”
“Somebody came up to me at the CMT Awards and said, ‘I doubt if you added all the winners up tonight they got as many hits total as (‘Red Solo Cup’), and I laughed because I don’t know how close to the truth that is, but it may just be, you know?” the singer adds, referring to the 20 million online video views.
With the release of the new album, Keith also hopes to celebrate 20 successful years in the industry with a gift to his fans. “We’re thinking about doing something to commemorate it, tour-wise,” says Keith. “But we still haven’t put a time on anything concrete yet.”
Until the anniversary rolls around in 2013, fans can catch Keith this year on his headlining Live in Overdrive Tour, with dates scheduled through the end of September.

Toby Keith Strikes

Toby Keith Strikes Again as the Incognito Bandito at Nashville Benefit

Just as advertised, the Incognito Bandito (aka Toby Keith) rode in from the trail Tuesday night (June 19) to delight a door-busting crowd at Nashville's 3rd & Lindsley nightclub with an hour-long program of cover tunes.

The Bandito was there to help pay medical bills for Jan Grantt, the cancer-stricken wife of Keith's bass player, Kevin "Swine" Grantt.

Also singing for the cause were Josh Turner, Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley, the Sisters and Curtis Wright.

The singers were backed by members of Keith's road band and various Nashville session musicians.

The crowd began gathering when the doors opened at 6 p.m. By 8 p.m., when the show started, every street, alley and parking lot surrounding the club was thick with cars.
Keith went on at 10:55 p.m. and bowed off just minutes before midnight.

Keith ambled onto the stage unannounced and unapplauded, a guitar strapped to his back, while an auction was going on.

Waiting until the bidding concluded, he moved into the spotlight and blasted off with the Johnny Paycheck bad-boy lament from 1976, "11 Months and 29 Days." From there, he shifted smoothly into Roger Miller's bouncy 1964 hit, "Chug-a-Lug," to which the crowd swayed along happily.

Occasionally, Keith let the band vamp between songs while he thumbed through sheets of music stacked on a nearby stand.
With drums pounding like a pile driver, Keith marched fiercely into and through the Johnnie Taylor gambling standard, "Last Two Dollars."

"I just went over to the [Country Music] Hall of Fame for the first time in 10 years to see the Bakersfield exhibit," Keith told the crowd. "We're going to do you a Buck Owens song."
With that, he roared into "Truck Drivin' Man," the now iconic road celebration Terry Fell wrote and first recorded in 1964, but which Owens soon after covered in a more memorable version.

"If you haven't got satellite radio, you probably haven't heard this song," Keith announced as the band glided into Three Dog Night's dreamy 1973 travelogue, "Shambala."
Waylon Jennings' assertively folksy "Waymore's Blues" followed, then Keith's primal take of Bill Withers' 1971 classic, "Ain't No Sunshine."

Keith wrapped up the evening with soulful renderings of ZZ Tops' "Mexican Blackbird," Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown" (1974) and the Chuck Berry-penned club standard, "Memphis."

With all the auctions between sets, it was a long and unevenly paced evening, made even more onerous by an audience given to carrying on loud conversations no matter who was onstage.

Then there was a gratuitous Bible-reading by the Sisters vocal trio and a prayer from Worley, who asserted that it was fine with him if his buddy-to-buddy chat with the Almighty drove the less devout away, an option, alas, not available to all.

Worley also performed "Have You Forgotten," his pro-war song from 2003 that sounded about as relevant this evening as "The Battle of New Orleans."

Still, with his commanding voice and larger-than-life presence, Worley was a real crowd-pleaser.

"They said to do three songs," he explained. "I thought, 'Hell, I'll do three No. 1's.' I'd like to say there were more. But that's about it."

True to his word, Worley began with "Awful, Beautiful Life" (2004), segued to the heartbreaking "I Miss My Friend" (2002) and exited with "Have You Forgotten."
When he substituted the original line, "Don't tell me not to worry about Bin Ladin," with "Now we don't have to worry about Bin Ladin," several in the crowd jumped to their feet and applauded wildly.

Turner also lighted up the proceedings, initially by singing two of his hits, "Your Man" and "Why Don't We Just Dance," and then by taking over an auction to bid up the price on his own autographed sheet music, picture and album.

Willmon opened the show with a two-song set that concluded with "On Again Tonight."

The always-buoyant Morgan came through with "This Ole Boy" and "Almost Home."

Working as a trio and each picking a guitar, Jackson, Cordle and Salley imparted a bluegrass feel via "Lonesome Standard Time," "Paper and Pen" and "No Future in the Past," the Vince Gill hit from 1993 that Gill co-wrote with Jackson.

Shepherd came through strong with "Look It Up" and "Sounds So Good." Thompson offered his current single, "Comin' Around," and his breakthrough hit, "Way Out Here."

Songwriter Curtis Wright sang his regretful rumination, "Guess That's Why He's God and I'm Not," as Keith adjusted his guitar and prepared to go on.