Toby Keith

Artist Image: Toby Keith
Attribution
Image Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Drumsta (https://www.dvidshub.net/image/567723), Public domain

Biography

Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961) best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums - 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin', plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of Mercury Records before leaving Mercury in 1998. These albums all earned gold or higher certification, and produced several chart singles, including his debut "Should've Been a Cowboy", which topped the country charts and was the most played country song of the 1990s. The song has received three million spins since then, according to Broadcast Music Incorporated. Signed to Nashville DreamWorks in 1998, Keith released his breakthrough single "How Do You Like Me Now?!" that year. This song, the title track to his 1999 album of the same name, was the Number One country song of 2000, and one of several chart-toppers during his tenure on DreamWorks Nashville. His next three albums, Pull My Chain, Unleashed, and Shock'n Y'all, produced three more Number Ones each, and all of the albums were certified multi-platinum. A second Greatest Hits package followed in 2004, and after that, he released Honkytonk University. When Dreamworks closed in 2005, Keith founded his own label, Show Dog Nashville, which became part of Show Dog-Universal Music in December 2009. He has released five studio albums on this label: 2006's White Trash with Money, 2007's Big Dog Daddy, 2008's That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy, 2009's American Ride and 2010's Bullets in the Gun as well as the compilation 35 Biggest Hits. He has also signed several other acts to the label, including Trailer Choir, Carter's Chord, Flynnville Train, Trace Adkins, Mac McAnally and Mica Roberts. Keith also made his acting debut in 2005, starring in the film Broken Bridges and co-starred with comedian Rodney Carrington in the 2008 film Beer for My Horses. Keith has released thirteen studio albums, two Christmas albums, and multiple compilation albums. He has also charted more than forty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including nineteen Number One hits and sixteen additional Top Ten hits. His longest-lasting Number One hits are "Beer for My Horses" (a 2003 duet with Willie Nelson) and "As Good as I Once Was" (2005), at six weeks each.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed
Number of Albums 47
Record Label
Website tobykeith.com
Wikipedia Toby Keith on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

Where did Keith's family move to when he was young?

Moore, Oklahoma

...His family moved to Moore, Oklahoma (a suburb of Oklahoma City) when Keith was young. His grandmother owned a supper club and Keith became interested ...
What did Keith get his first guitar at the age of 8?

His grandmother owned a supper club

...klahoma (a suburb of Oklahoma City) when Keith was young. His grandmother owned a supper club and Keith became interested in the musicians who came th...
When did the oil industry in Oklahoma begin a rapid decline?

1982

...eave in the middle of a gig if he was paged to work in the oil field. In 1982 , the oil industry in Oklahoma began a rapid decline and Keith soon found...
What team did Keith play defensive end for?

Oklahoma City Drillers

...his football training and played defensive end with the semipro Oklahoma City Drillers while continuing to perform with his band. (The Drillers were a...
Who were the Oklahoma City Drillers?

an unofficial farm club of the USFL's Oklahoma Outlaws

...ng to perform with his band. (The Drillers were an unofficial farm club of the USFL's Oklahoma Outlaws ; Keith tried out for the Outlaws but did not ma...
What genres did he blend into traditional country forms?

contemporary attitudes and sounds

...fied easy categorization, slyly blending genres, threading contemporary attitudes and sounds into traditional country forms, and writing with a sense ...
What was Keith's biggest Country Airplay hit since 2014?

Old School

...dle age, where the hits weren't as big but were still plentiful, with Old School , from his 2021 album Peso in My Pocket, giving him his biggest Countr...
In what state was Keith born?

Oklahoma

...known to pen ribald tunes. Keith was born Toby Keith Covel in Clinton, Oklahoma in 1961 and grew up mostly on a farm in Moore, near the outskirts of O...
What band did Keith form?

Easy Money Band

...found work in the nearby oil fields. In the meantime, he formed the Easy Money Band and played Alabama style countryrock in area honky tonks. After ab...
What franchise did Keith try out for?

Oklahoma City

...d Keith turned to playing semipro football for a USFL farm team, even trying out (unsuccessfully) for the shortlived league's Oklahoma City franchise....
When did Toby Keith's self-titled debut album go platinum?

1993

...Country music star Toby Keith's selftitled debut album went platinum in 1993 . In reaction to the events of 911, Keith wrote the song Courtesy of the R...
Toby Keith Covel was born on what date?

July 8, 1961

...ly Life Singer, songwriter and musician Toby Keith Covel was born on July 8, 1961 , in Clinton, Oklahoma. Raised in Oklahoma City, Keith started playin...
What country star did Keith bump heads with?

Natalie Maines

...troversial tune caused Keith to bump heads with fellow country star Natalie Maines . He went on to release several popular albums and tried his hand at...
In what year did Keith try acting?

2008

...ent on to release several popular albums and tried his hand at acting in 2008 . Early Life Singer, songwriter and musician Toby Keith Covel was born on...
What year was Keith born?

1961

...ife Singer, songwriter and musician Toby Keith Covel was born on July 8, 1961 , in Clinton, Oklahoma. Raised in Oklahoma City, Keith started playing mu...
What was Keith's career?

Country music star

... Country music star Toby Keith's selftitled debut album went platinum in 1993. In reaction to the events of 911, Keith wrote the song Courtesy of the R...
What company did Keith sign with in the early '90s?

Mercury Records

... career in music. Early Career In the early '90s, Keith signed with Mercury Records , and by 1993 his selftitled debut album was certified platinum. In...
In what year did Keith collaborate with Sting on I'm So Happy?

1997

...cords, and by 1993 his selftitled debut album was certified platinum. In 1997 , he teamed with Sting to record I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying, which ...
What song did Sting collaborate with in 1997?

I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying

...ertified platinum. In 1997, he teamed with Sting to record I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying , which earned the duo a Grammy nomination. More success fo...
How many charttopping singles has Toby Keith written in the past 20 years?

at least one

...Toby Keith stands out in country music in having written at least one charttopping single over each of the past 20 years, including Shouldve Been a Co...
Along with Merle Haggard, who was a notable country musician?

Bob Wills

...w Do You Like Me Now? He was influenced by country musicians including Bob Wills and Merle Haggard, and worked as a rodeo hand in high school, then in...
Along with Bob Wills, what country musician influenced him?

Merle Haggard

... Now? He was influenced by country musicians including Bob Wills and Merle Haggard , and worked as a rodeo hand in high school, then in oil fields whil...
What sport did he play before focusing on his music?

semipro football

...elds while playing countryrock in local honkytonks. He also played semipro football before focusing on his music. Much of his songwriting content cent...
What is the main focus of Keith's songwriting?

drinking and partying

...ocusing on his music. Much of his songwriting content centers on drinking and partying and reflects his life as a touring musician; most of the writin...
Where does most of Keiths writing take place?

on the road

...ts his life as a touring musician; most of the writing itself is done on the road , where he collaborates with writers including Scotty Emerick, Bobby ...
Who are some of the writers Keith collaborates with?

Scotty Emerick, Bobby Pinson and Rivers Rutherford

...oad, where he collaborates with writers including Scotty Emerick, Bobby Pinson and Rivers Rutherford in between gigs. Keiths breakthrough hit Shouldve...
How many radio performances did Keith's Shouldve Been a Cowboy have?

over three million

...n 1993 and became the mostplayed country song of the decade, with over three million radio performances. Later that year his followup album Pull My Ch...
What was Keith's first No. 1 album?

Pull My Chain

...three million radio performances. Later that year his followup album Pull My Chain became his first No. In 2002, Keiths highly charged response to 911...
What was Keith's name of his label?

Show Dog Nashville

... Meanwhile, Keith was also appearing on Touched by an Angel and in a Dukes of Hazzard TV reunion movie, and founded his own label, Show Dog Nashville ....
How many Top Ten singles were produced by Keith?

21

... the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including 20 number one hits and 21 additional top 10 hits. His longestlasting number one hits are Beer for M...
What was the mostplayed country song of the 1990s?

Should've Been a Cowboy

...tion, and produced several Top Ten singles, including his debut Should've Been a Cowboy , which topped the country charts and was the mostplayed countr...
When was Keith signed to DreamWorks Records?

1998

... Broadcast Music Incorporated. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1998 , Keith released his breakthrough single How Do You Like Me Now?! When Dr...
What was Keith's breakthrough single?

How Do You Like Me Now?!

...ords Nashville in 1998, Keith released his breakthrough single How Do You Like Me Now?! When DreamWorks closed in 2005, Keith founded the label Show D...
When did DreamWorks close?

2005

...s breakthrough single How Do You Like Me Now?! When DreamWorks closed in 2005 , Keith founded the label Show Dog Nashville, which merged with Universal...
In what year did Keith make his acting debut?

2006

...DogUniversal Music in December 2009. Keith also made his acting debut in 2006 , starring in the film Broken Bridges, and costarred with comedian Rodney...
What film did Keith star in in 2006?

Broken Bridges

...009. Keith also made his acting debut in 2006, starring in the film Broken Bridges , and costarred with comedian Rodney Carrington in the 2008 film Bee...
In what movie did Keith co-star with comedian Rodney Carrington?

Beer for My Horses

...s, and costarred with comedian Rodney Carrington in the 2008 film Beer for My Horses , inspired by his song of the same name. Keith has released 19 stu...
How many studio albums has Keith released?

19

... for My Horses, inspired by his song of the same name. Keith has released 19 studio albums, 2 Christmas albums, and 5 compilation albums, totaling wor...
How many compilation albums did he release?

5

...he same name. Keith has released 19 studio albums, 2 Christmas albums, and 5 compilation albums, totaling worldwide sales of over 40 million albums. H...
How many singles has he released on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts?

61

...lbums, totaling worldwide sales of over 40 million albums. He has charted 61 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including 20 number on...
Beer for My Horses was a 2003 duet with what artist?

Willie Nelson

... hits. His longestlasting number one hits are Beer for My Horses (a 2003 duet with Willie Nelson ) and As Good as I Once Was (2005), at six weeks each....
Where was Toby born?

Clinton, Oklahoma

...He was born in Clinton, Oklahoma , and grew up with his sister (Tonnie) and his youngest sibling (a brother, Tracy) in Moore, Oklahoma. After graduatin...
Toby's sister, Tonnie, and his younger sibling, Tracy, grew up in what Oklahoma city?

Moore

... with his sister (Tonnie) and his youngest sibling (a brother, Tracy) in Moore , Oklahoma. After graduating from Moore High School; Toby did not go on ...
What did Toby do after graduating from Moore High School?

went to work in the Oklahoman oil fields with his father

...igh School; Toby did not go on to college, but went to work in the Oklahoman oil fields with his father . He later met and married Tricia Lucus, whose ...
What was the name of the child of Tricia Lucus?

Shelley Reeve

...with his father. He later met and married Tricia Lucus, whose child, Shelley Reeve , he adopted. He later had two children with Tricia Krystal (born in...
Who was the only son of Toby and Tricia?

Stelen

...wo children with Tricia Krystal (born in 1985 and married in 2011), and Stelen (born in 1997, and the only son of Toby and Tricia). At the time in whi...
What was the name of Keith's debut album?

Should've Been A Cowboy

...debut album Toby Keith, which contained his first chart topper, Should've Been A Cowboy , finally established him as a professional singersongwriter. H...
Who was the producer of Dream Walkin'?

James Stroud

...reatest Hits compilation came out from Mercury; he and his producer, James Stroud , left the label. He then signed a deal with DreamWorks Records, head...
What year did Keith graduate from high school?

1979

... K. and Joan Covel, moved to Moore. After graduating from high school in 1979 , Keith worked in the oil fields. As the oil market dissolved, he began p...
How did Keith's Easy Money Band play?

small venues

...asy Money Band traveled a bar circuit throughout the region, playing small venues until a 1993 debut album produced the Number One country song, Shoul...
How many Number One Billboard Country hits did he have by the end of 2011?

twenty

...r he changed to the Dreamworks Records label. By the end of 2011 he had twenty Number One Billboard Country hits, with eight from the Dreamworks perio...
How many of his number one Billboard country hits were from Dreamworks Records?

eight

...By the end of 2011 he had twenty Number One Billboard Country hits, with eight from the Dreamworks period. He has earned numerous honors from the ACM,...
What kind of baritone does Keith use to good effect on songs?

deep, dusky

...eo rider, oil rigger, and football player, the burly Keith wields his deep, dusky baritone to good effect on songs that range from rollicking barroom ...
What genre of music does the Marshall Tucker Band represent?

Southern rockers

... a young man and aspiring songsmith, he took his musical lead from Southern rockers like the members of the Marshall Tucker Band, as well as country g...
What was Keith's first taste of show business?

A stint working for a supper club run by his grandmother

... Band, as well as country great Merle Haggard. A stint working for a supper club run by his grandmother gave Keith his first taste of show business; t...
What was Keith's profession?

singersongwriter

... married to Tricia; children: Shelley, Krystal, Stelen (son). When singersongwriter Toby Keith first entered the country charts with the 1993 hit sing...
What type of music did Keith sing?

country

...anged from rollicking barroom romps to hearttugging ballads in the best country tradition. His easy way with audiences gained him a following that gre...
What song stirred plenty of controversy?

Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue

...h stirred plenty of controversy with his warlike 2002 hit Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue , and rode the controversy to still higher levels of publ...
Who was Merle Haggard?

country great

...ern rockers like the members of the Marshall Tucker Band, as well as country great Merle Haggard. Although Keith and several friends had formed bands ...
What sport did Keith play?

football

...riding and roping and hard work. A former rodeo rider, oil rigger, and football player, the burly Keith wielded his deep, dusky baritone to good effec...
What was Keith's first job?

testdriving bulls

...elf for several years in favor of making a living. He went to work testdriving bulls for a local rodeo outfit; from there, it was on to four years in ...
Where did Keith go to get a contract?

Nashville

...e to play a guitar lured Keith off the field and back onstage. Went to Nashville for a Contract Backed by a group of fellow rodeo riders who made up h...
How long did Keith tour the country dancehall circuit of the Western states?

almost ten years

...ith toured the country dancehall circuit of the Western states for almost ten years before making it big in Nashville. The competition's fierce, and i...
Toby Keith has released how many studio albums?

nineteen

... country music career. Country music star Toby Keith, 60, has released nineteen studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five compilation albums over ...
How many compilation albums has Keith released?

five

...eith, 60, has released nineteen studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five compilation albums over the span of his successful country music career....
What is the age of the country music star?

60

...ng his childhood and country music career. Country music star Toby Keith, 60 , has released nineteen studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five comp...