No one can say that Toby Keith wasn't patriotic. Throughout his career, Keith often stood by the members of military, performing tours overseas. It's a lesson that he passed down to his daughter Krystal. She said that Keith told her to never apologize for being patriotic.
Speaking while receiving an honorary degree on Keith's behalf at the University of Oklahoma, Krystal reflected on her father. She said he was the most hard-working man she ever met.
"Throughout his life and career, he made sure to work hard to have the best, to be the best. He often said, 'They may write better than me, they may sing better than me, and they may look better than me, but they will NEVER outwork me,'" Krystal recalled. "And that made all the difference. He was a larger-than-life legend, he was an icon, he did things his own way, his songs inspired nearly everyone in country music and beyond."
She also said that her father was a proud patriot! She said, "He always said, 'Never apologize for being patriotic,' and practiced what he preached through his work with the USO [United Service Organizations]." Krystal said Keith often went into dangerous areas. She said, "He was going into the most dangerous zones, where guys that never got those entertainers to come to them, were housed and were sitting, and he would go and boost their morale. And that's who he wanted to go see. We called him Captain America. And that's something he earned."
Toby Keith Was A Hard Worker
Besides being a patriot, Krystal said her dad taught her about music. He also taught his children to pursue their dreams. She said, "My dad taught me everything: singing, writing songs and ... most of what I know about life. And I hope the graduates that are here today can learn from him, too. He fought hard to live his dream."
She continued, "He had faith and believed in himself. He never gave up the fight, even when the odds were against him. He would want me to tell you to never give up on yourself. As you start your next journey in life, know that you have strong roots here at the University of Oklahoma. Work hard and be the captain of your own ship. Believe in yourself and live your dream."
According to Krystal, Keith was honored to receive the degree. He was a life long Sooners fan. She said, "He broke his ankle playing a celebrity OU Alumni game in the '90s. For as long as I can remember, he took our family to bowl games and was on every sideline or courtside of every OU event that he possibly could, regardless of sport or gender. He wanted to be at all of them — he supported them wholeheartedly. He simply bled Crimson and Cream."
