Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Toby Keith
Discover the career path of Toby Keith, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Toby Keith, born Toby Keith Covel, was a prominent American country music artist known for his singing, songwriting, and record production. He also ventured into acting and business. He was a significant figure in the country music scene, known for hits that often reflected patriotic themes and a distinctly American perspective. His career spanned several decades, leaving a lasting impact on the genre.
1963: Original Release of "Be True to Your School"
In 1963, the Beach Boys originally released "Be True to Your School", a song which Toby Keith later covered on Stars and Stripes Vol. 1.
1987: Keith Writes "Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You"
In 1987, Toby Keith wrote the song "Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You", which later peaked at number 2 when he released it in 1996.
1993: Release of "Should've Been a Cowboy"
In 1993, Toby Keith released his debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy", which topped the charts, marking a significant milestone in his early career.
1993: "Should've Been a Cowboy" reaches Number One
In 1993, Toby Keith's debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy", reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, marking the beginning of his successful music career.
September 1994: Release of Boomtown
In September 1994, Toby Keith released his second album, Boomtown, under Polydor Records Nashville, adding to his discography of successful albums.
1995: Release of Christmas to Christmas
In 1995, Toby Keith released his first Christmas album, Christmas to Christmas, via Mercury, showcasing his versatility by composing original songs for the album.
April 1996: Release of Blue Moon album
In April 1996, Toby Keith released his third album, Blue Moon, under A&M Records, adding to his discography of successful albums.
March 1997: "Me Too" becomes a Number One Hit
In March 1997, Toby Keith's song "Me Too" reached number one, marking his third number one hit.
1997: Return to Mercury Records and release of Dream Walkin'
In 1997, Toby Keith returned to Mercury Records and released his fourth studio album, Dream Walkin', marking a new phase in his music career.
October 1998: Release of Greatest Hits Volume One
In October 1998, Toby Keith released his Greatest Hits Volume One album, which included twelve of his prior singles and two new songs.
1999: Move to DreamWorks Records
In 1999, Toby Keith moved to DreamWorks Records' Nashville division, marking a new chapter in his recording career.
1999: Release of "How Do You Like Me Now?!" album
In 1999, Toby Keith released the album "How Do You Like Me Now?!", featuring the breakthrough single of the same name, marking a turning point in his career.
2000: "How Do You Like Me Now?!" Success
In 2000, "How Do You Like Me Now?!" became the top country song and a pop hit, solidifying Toby Keith's success.
2000: "How Do You Like Me Now?!" Top Country Song
In 2000, Toby Keith's single "How Do You Like Me Now?!" was recognized as the number one country song, solidifying his place in the country music scene.
August 2001: Release of Pull My Chain
In August 2001, Toby Keith released the album Pull My Chain, which featured three number one singles.
2001: ACM Awards
In 2001, Toby Keith won the Academy of Country Music's Top Male Vocalist and Album of the Year awards, recognizing his achievements in the country music industry.
July 20, 2002: "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" peaked at number one
On July 20, 2002, Toby Keith's song "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming a significant hit.
2002: Release of Unleashed
In 2002, Toby Keith released the album Unleashed, which included the singles "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" and "Beer for My Horses".
2002: "My List" named Single of the Year
In 2002, the Country Music Association named Toby Keith's "My List" as Single of the Year, recognizing its success and impact.
2002: Began performing for U.S. military in the Middle East
Starting in 2002, Toby Keith made numerous trips to the Middle East to perform for U.S. military personnel, expressing his respect and gratitude for their service.
July 2003: Guest Appearance on Scotty Emerick's Debut Single
In July 2003, Toby Keith made a guest appearance on Scotty Emerick's debut single "I Can't Take You Anywhere", which was previously recorded by Keith on Pull My Chain.
November 2003: Release of Shock'n Y'all
In November 2003, Toby Keith released his eighth studio album, Shock'n Y'all, which included the hit singles "I Love This Bar", "American Soldier", and "Whiskey Girl".
2003: Release of "Beer for My Horses"
In 2003, Toby Keith released "Beer for My Horses", a duet with Willie Nelson, which became one of his longest-lasting number one hits.
2003: Hit Single "Beer for My Horses" release
In 2003, Toby Keith's hit single "Beer for My Horses" recorded with Willie Nelson was released.
2004: Toby Keith Helps Found Ally's House
In 2004, Toby Keith helped found Ally's House, a cancer charity in memory of Allison Webb, the daughter of one of his former bandmates.
2004: Release of Greatest Hits 2
In 2004, Toby Keith released Greatest Hits 2, featuring new songs and a duet with his daughter, Krystal Keith.
August 31, 2005: Founding of Show Dog Nashville
On August 31, 2005, Toby Keith founded his own record label, Show Dog Nashville.
2005: End of Stroud Collaboration
In 2005, Toby Keith ended his collaboration with James Stroud as co-producer, marking a change in his production style.
2005: Founding of Show Dog Nashville
In 2005, Toby Keith established his own record label, Show Dog Nashville, expanding his influence in the music industry.
2005: Co-founded Big Machine Records
In 2005, Toby Keith helped found Big Machine Records, adding to his entrepreneurial ventures in the music industry.
2005: Opened Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill
In 2005, Toby Keith opened Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill in multiple locations, starting with Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Syracuse, New York, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
2005: Release of "As Good as I Once Was"
In 2005, Toby Keith released "As Good as I Once Was", which also became one of his longest-lasting number one hits.
2005: Release of Honkytonk University
In early 2005, Toby Keith released Honkytonk University, his final album with DreamWorks Records.
2005: Filming of Broken Bridges
In the Autumn of 2005, Toby Keith filmed Broken Bridges, a feature film from Paramount/CMT Films, where he played the role of Bo Price.
September 8, 2006: Release of Broken Bridges
On September 8, 2006, the film Broken Bridges, starring Toby Keith, was released. In the film, Keith played Bo Price, a washed-up country musician.
2006: Toby Keith Establishes Foundation
In 2006, Toby Keith established the Toby Keith Foundation to provide housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families.
2006: Acting Debut in Broken Bridges
In 2006, Toby Keith made his acting debut in the film Broken Bridges, showcasing his versatility as an entertainer.
2006: Release of White Trash with Money
In 2006, Toby Keith released the album White Trash with Money, which was the first release under his label, Show Dog Nashville.
2007: Release of Big Dog Daddy and A Classic Christmas
In 2007, Toby Keith released the album Big Dog Daddy and a Christmas album, A Classic Christmas.
May 6, 2008: Release of 35 Biggest Hits
On May 6, 2008, Toby Keith released 35 Biggest Hits, a two-disc compilation featuring most of his singles to date, as well as the new song "She's a Hottie".
October 28, 2008: Release of That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy
On October 28, 2008, Toby Keith released the album That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy, which featured the number 1 hit "She Never Cried in Front of Me".
2008: Co-starring in Beer for My Horses
In 2008, Toby Keith co-starred in the film Beer for My Horses with Rodney Carrington, inspired by his hit song, further exploring his acting career.
March 2009: Received Johnny "Mike" Spann Memorial Semper Fidelis Award
In March 2009, Toby Keith received the Johnny "Mike" Spann Memorial Semper Fidelis Award for his support of the military, reinforcing his commitment to honoring service members.
2009: Announcement of New Restaurant Location
In 2009, Capri Restaurant Group announced that it would open another "I Love this Bar & Grill" location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Side Works shopping and entertainment district.
2009: Established TK Steelman clothing line
In 2009, Toby Keith established a line of clothing named TK Steelman, expanding his business ventures beyond music and restaurants.
October 5, 2010: Release of Bullets in the Gun
On October 5, 2010, Toby Keith released the album Bullets in the Gun, which marked a departure as it did not produce any top 10 singles.
October 25, 2011: Release of Clancy's Tavern
On October 25, 2011, Toby Keith released the album Clancy's Tavern, which included the number 1 single "Made in America".
December 2011: Named Artist of the Decade
In December 2011, Toby Keith was named "Artist of the Decade" by the American Country Awards, recognizing his contributions to country music.
2011: Introduced "Wild Shot" drink
In 2011, Toby Keith introduced a new drink named "Wild Shot", initially available in Mexico and later in America, becoming a featured drink in his restaurant chain.
2012: Release of "Beers Ago"
In 2012, Toby Keith released "Beers Ago" which reached number 6 in the charts.
2012: Release of Hope on the Rocks
In late 2012, Toby Keith released his sixteenth album, Hope on the Rocks, which produced two top 20 hits.
July 15, 2013: Featured on Forbes magazine cover
On July 15, 2013, Toby Keith was featured on the cover of Forbes magazine with the caption "Country Music's $500 million man", highlighting his financial success.
2013: OK Kids Korral Built by Toby Keith Foundation
In late 2013, the Toby Keith Foundation built the OK Kids Korral, a residence for child cancer patients at OU Medical Center.
2013: Release of "Drinks After Work"
In mid-2013, Toby Keith released "Drinks After Work", the first single from his seventeenth album of the same name.
October 2014: Release of "Drunk Americans"
In October 2014, Toby Keith released "Drunk Americans", the lead single from his eighteenth studio album, 35 MPH Town.
April 2015: Release of "35 MPH Town"
In April 2015, Toby Keith released "35 MPH Town", the title track and second single from his album.
January 19, 2017: Toby Keith Performs at Pre-Inaugural Celebration
On January 19, 2017, Toby Keith performed at the "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration" at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., for Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. He thanked Barack Obama and Donald Trump and played patriotic songs.
September 2017: Release of "The Bus Songs" compilation album
In September 2017, Toby Keith released "The Bus Songs", a compilation album featuring new, re-recorded, and previously released songs. The album achieved significant success, topping the Billboard Comedy Albums chart for 11 weeks.
2018: "Don't Let the Old Man In" featured in Clint Eastwood's film The Mule
In 2018, Toby Keith's song "Don't Let the Old Man In" was used in Clint Eastwood's film The Mule. Years later, on September 28, 2023, he would perform the song live.
2019: Toby Keith Describes OK Kids Korral as Greatest Accomplishment
In 2019, Toby Keith described the OK Kids Korral to The Oklahoman as his greatest accomplishment.
2021: Featured on Brantley Gilbert's single
In 2021, Toby Keith was featured on Brantley Gilbert's single "The Worst Country Song of All Time" alongside Hardy, marking a collaborative effort in his music career.
December 14, 2023: Final Performance in Las Vegas
On December 14, 2023, Toby Keith held his final performance in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Park MGM. His last studio recording was on a Joe Diffie tribute album.
