Demi Moore still has those little clay pots she made with Patrick Swayze 34 years ago in “Ghost”. She says they’re “pitiful” and “the saddest looking things.”
The country music world was rocked on Monday night after Toby Keith passed away after a long battle with stomach cancer. An official announcement was posted on his Twitter account saying that he was, “surrounded by family” and that “he fought his fight with grace and courage.” Toby burst on to the scene in 1993 with his first big hit, “Shoulda Been a Cowboy”, and kept on rocking ever since. He released 20 studio albums, had 20 #1 singles, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015. Just a day before his death he posted to his Instagram a video of him from a December show with the caption, “And that’s a wrap on the weekend y’all. Back to it.” Toby’s final TV performance was at the People’s Choice Country Awards in September where he sang “Don’t Let the Old Man In”.
Tributes have been pouring in ever since
Zach Bryan. . . “Too many rides in my old man’s car listening to Toby Keith. Rest in peace friend, we love you.”
Carrie Underwood. . . “Saddle up the horses, Jesus, ’cause a true blue COWBOY just made his ride up to heaven . . . Sign that boy up for the choir.”
Dolly Parton. . . “Toby Keith was one of the greats in every way. He will be missed, but his music and legacy will live on.”
Blake Shelton. . . “You were the toughest man I ever met. Thank you for being a friend, a hero and an inspiration. There will never be another Toby Keith.”
And in a final tribute to Toby, he just had three albums move into the top 10 of the iTunes charts, with “35 Biggest Hits” going all the way to #1.
Ever since his death, people keep sharing their favorite Toby Keith memories, and this man lived a very full life. Here are the highlights:
1. At a concert in Kentucky in 2009, a drunk fan flipped Toby the bird and threw his beer at him. So, Toby jumped off the stage, fought his way through the crowd, berated the fan and then got him thrown out. How many modern country stars would have just called for security instead?
2. In 2010 in Iraq, in one of Toby’s many USO tours, indirect fire started coming into the base while he was doing his set. Everyone got down to take cover from the rockets . . . but those explosions didn’t deter Toby. He got back on stage and famously said into the mic, “Hey Al Qaeda, you missed.”
3. In 2022, at his first show back from his cancer diagnosis during his song, “Courtesy of the Red White and Blue”, he fired up the crowd by saying, “Never apologize for being patriotic.
4. Did you know Toby Keith was responsible for signing the one and only Taylor Swift to her first record deal? Pretty wild.
Remember when Garth almost DIDN’T sing the National Anthem in 1993? He was set to perform it at Super Bowl 27, and also debut his new music video for “We Shall Be Free” during the pre-game. The song was a social statement inspired by the Rodney King trial. NBC wasn’t wild about the idea and wanted to yank the video at the last-minute . . . so Garth reportedly LEFT THE STADIUM 45 minutes before kickoff. Jon Bon Jovi was there, and they thought about using him instead. But Garth won in the end. NBC aired the video, and he sang a great anthem. The game supposedly started a little late because of it. And now all Super Bowl anthems are pre-recorded as well, just in case.
The Stagecoach Country Music Festival has announced the lineup for the Palomino Stage. Dwight Yoakam will headline Night One on Friday. Leon Bridges headlines on Saturday, then it’s the Beach Boys on Sunday. Other artists performing on the Palomino include Asleep at the Wheel, Clint Black, Pam Tillis, Shane Smith & the Saints, and Luke Grimes. The show goes down April 26th through the 28th in Indio, California, but it’s sold out. Main stage performers include Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll, Post Malone, and Hardy.
Hardy is going all-in with ROCK. He announced yesterday that he’s releasing a rock album before his tour starts this summer. He’s also dropping a single on Friday called “Rockstar”.The cover art for the single is pretty funny. It includes images of Hardy dressed like Kurt Cobain, Paul Stanley in his KISS makeup, and Freddie Mercury.
Jason Bateman hates dancing so much, he didn’t even dance with his wife at their wedding. His father-in-law Paul Anka did it instead.
Jelly Roll and Tori Kelly will serve as mentors on the new season of “American Idol”.
Isaiah Thomas is 35. NBA All Star.
Ashton Kutcher is 46.
Steve Nash is 50. NBA Hall of Famer
Chris Rock is 59.
Garth Brooks is 62.
Eddie Izzard is 62. British comedian
James Spader is 64.
