The tributes keep coming! Jason Aldean has announced that he will honor Toby Keith at the upcoming ACM Awards. The singer will perform a rendition of "Should've Been A Cowboy."
In a statement, Aldean reflected on his association with Keith. The singer remembered playing Keith's songs when he was getting his start early in his career.
"I've been a fan of his since the beginning and his songs are some of the first songs I played back in clubs early in my career, including the one I'll be performing on the show," Aldean said in a statement. "I was lucky enough to share the stage with Toby in Oklahoma this last year, and it means a lot to be able to honor him and properly celebrate his iconic career and legacy. He was one of a kind."
Meanwhile, ACM CEO Damon Whiteside said the tribute makes perfect sense. Keith was a titan in the country music industry. Whiteside thinks that Aldean is the perfect person to handle the tribute. He also said that they've invited Keith's family to the awards for the tribute.
"The popularity, influence, and love for Toby Keith is infinite since his passing earlier this year," Whiteside said.
Fans Roast Toby Keith's CMT Tribute
Fans were not pleased with CMT's tribute to Keith, believing that Brooks & Dunn didn't live up to the job. Hopefully, Aldean does a better job at honoring Keith's memory and living up to expectations. One fan wrote, "Ronnie Dunn should've spent less time dyeing his hair and more time actually learning some lyrics because Brooks and Dunn absolutely did a disservice to Toby Keith with Should've Been A Cowboy."
Another wrote, "Brooks and Dunn did Toby Keith dirty with that rendition of Shoulda Been a Cowboy. Already plotting who can butcher Neon Moon on a future tribute to them."
When Keith was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ronnie Dunn discussed the importance of the song to Keith
"'Should've Been a Cowboy' gave Keith a No. 1 out of the gate," Dunn said. "Among country acts, only Merle Haggard and Alan Jackson have written more of their own hits, and if Toby were here, he'd tell you that. Many people tried to portray him as one-dimensional, and he wasn't. We know, we've been on the road with him," Dunn continued. "Keith didn't write about politics so much as he wrote about communities."
