Luke Bryan paid tribute to two key figures in his life during NBC’s “Toby Keith: American Icon” special, which aired on August 28. He honored Toby Keith, who passed away in February 2024 following a battle with stomach cancer, as well as his late sister Kelly, who died unexpectedly in 2007.
Before his heartfelt performance of Keith’s song “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” Bryan introduced a black cowboy hat, sharing its personal significance with the audience. He explained, “This hat has been hanging in my closet for probably 15 years. My sister down in Georgia bought me this hat when I was playing bars and doing about 10 Toby Keith songs a night. I used to wear this hat every night. Ever since I lost my sister, I haven’t put this hat on onstage in many years.”
Reflecting on his roots, Bryan added, “I was walking out of the house, and I said, ‘You know what? I’m just an old country boy from Georgia. Toby Keith certainly made me wanna be a cowboy. I’m gonna be a cowboy tonight.’” He then performed Keith’s classic hit, which was fitting as Keith was known for wearing a cowboy hat at nearly all his performances.
Following Keith’s passing, Bryan expressed his condolences on Instagram, stating, “Just…seeing the sad news in our country community. An iconic artist and a great man. Your songs turn every room into a good time.”
Toby Keith, who wrote “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and released it as his debut single in 1993, created a song that captures the spirit of the Old West and the allure of cowboy life. Reflecting on the song years later, Keith recalled hearing it for the first time while traveling to Kentucky with Shania Twain. He noted how that moment on the radio significantly impacted his life.
The special “Toby Keith: American Icon” also features performances from other artists, including Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson. It aired on NBC on August 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.