Ronnie Dunn, Sammy Hagar, Kix Brooks, Lainey Wilson, Roger Clemens and Lukas Nelson Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for CMT
There wasn’t a dry eye in Austin’s Moody Center as Lainey Wilson and more country superstars paid tribute to the late Toby Keith two months after his death at the CMT Music Awards.
Wilson, 31, was joined by Brooks & Dunn, Sammy Hagar and Lukas Nelson on Sunday, April 7. Former MLB player Roger Clemens exclusively told Us Weekly that he was looking forward to remember Keith. “Hopefully, I don’t get too emotional,” he told Us on the red carpet. “We miss him dearly and just an honor to be asked to come and present one of his songs, so I’m looking forward to it.”
He added that he wanted to recognize the family and “stay upbeat” throughout the night. “Toby did leave us with some great songs. I mean, you know what I’m saying? A lot of great ones, and they’re fun to sing too,” Clemens, 61, said. “Sometimes I can sing ’em pretty good and there’s other ones I can’t sing very well, but I give it my best.”
The retired athlete took the stage to introduce the tribute first. “It’s an honor to be here and celebrate Big Dog Daddy Toby Keith, a true friend, patriot and great American. Toby was in Houston, off and on for three years while he was battling that damn C-word. Through it all, he always kept his humor and his wit,” Clemens shared during the show.
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He added, “A perfect example of it, my two younger boys, who played baseball right here at the University of Texas, they were in Oklahoma playing the Sooners, Toby’s university. No, y’all can’t boo tonight. This is for Tony. Toby told my boys, if you hit a home room off our Oklahoma pitcher to day I’ll sit on your dugout and I’ll sing “the eyes of Texas’ with you … true to form, Toby sat on that dugout and with his funny wit, he sang “I’ve been working on the railroad.’”
Clemens introduced Brooks & Dunn, who played Keith’s hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” and they introduced Hagar.
“Toby and I, we spent a lot of time in Cabo together over the years,” the rocker, 76, said. “We closed the Cabo Wabo down a lot more times than probably we even remember. Just put it like this, it’s hard to get thrown out of your own bar, and we managed to do that.”
Hagar continued, “We had this routine. I’d go down early and I’d I’d be on stage with the band and I’d see this big commotion going on at the front door and I would look up and big dog daddy and his posse walking through the door and I would turn to the band and I would say.”
Ronnie Dunn, Sammy Hagar, Kix Brooks, Lainey Wilson, Roger Clemens and Lukas Nelson Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT
Then, Hagar launched into Keith’s song “I Love This Bar” and revealed his shirt said “Forever a Sooner.”
Following Hagar, songwriters Lukas Nelson and Riley Green came out to pay their respects. “Toby was not a shy guy. He had a big personality,” Nelson said. “I met him when I was younger, when he was working on Beer for my horses” with dad. I got lucky I got the opportunity to watch his artistry in person.”
Green added, “That guy could come up with a hook like no other and sang the hell out of every song that he wrote somehow while making it look easy.”
They introduced Lainey Wilson, who covered Keith’s “How Do Ya Like Me Now?” Finally, Clemens returned to the stage to end with the tribute with a shout-out to the family and a toast.
“Thanks for sharing your dad with all of us,” Clemens said as he struggled to control his emotions. “Thank you. Trish, we love you. Thank you for sharing your husband with the world Trish, thank you.”
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He and many audience members raised red Solo cups in reference to Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” track. “Everybody at home, raise your fist if you don’t have a Solo cup,” he said. “Repeat after me: whiskey for my men and beer for my horses.”
News broke in February that Keith had died at the age of 62.
“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage,” a statement shared via his social media accounts read on February 6. “Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
Keith, who is survived by wife Tricia Lucus and their three children, had been diagnosed with stomach cancer less than one year earlier.
“Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer,” the “Red Solo Cup” singer wrote via Instagram in June 2022. “I’ve spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax.”
He continued at the time, “I am looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait.”
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Nearly one year later, Keith was honored with the Country Icon Award at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards in September 2023. On the red carpet, he offered a health update.
“I’ve been OK, just been rocking and rolling,” Keith told Extra. “I walked some dark hallways, Almighty is riding shotgun. But I feel pretty good … You have good days and bad days … it’s a little bit of a roller coaster, but I’m doing a lot better than I was this time last year.”
Keith had sold more than 44 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame one day after his death. He also had a longstanding history with the CMT Awards, having scored 30 nominations and seven wins over the course of his career. Keith also cohosted the ceremony twice in 2003 and 2012, the first of which was when he won three trophies including Video of the Year for “Courtesy of The Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).”
The CMT Music Awards will further celebrate Keith’s legacy in a one-hour TV special on Thursday, April 11, that airs on CMT at 10 p.m. ET.
