Eric Church, Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll and More Honor Late Toby Keith in TV Special: All the Highlights

Mar. 15, 2025

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Though, naturally, there were tearful moments, the evening was mostly a joyful celebration of Keith, whosuccumbed to stomach cancer, at age 62, on Feb. 5 in his native Oklahoma. He left behind a treasure trove of music that reflect his rare combination of qualities — rowdy showman, passionate patriot, tender family man, gifted wordsmith — and all were elevated during the two-hour event.

PEOPLE had a prime seat in the arena, and here are can’t-miss highlights that viewers can look forward to:

Church’s Gratitude

“You Are Truth”

Ride ‘Em, Lainey

Changing Hats

Jelly Roll’s Tearjerker

Keith’s wise lyrics for a good life, contained in “My List,” take on even more meaning now that their writer is gone: “I won’t break my back for a million bucks / I can’t take to my grave / So why put off for tomorrow / What I could get done today.”

Rising to the Challenge

The show’s producers, Krystal Keith explained, picked it for her to sing, and “I had to really just kind of talk myself into it. It’s definitely a heart-wrenching song.” (Even more so, given Keith’s two-year battle with cancer. He wrote the song and originally sang it for the 2018Clint Eastwoodfilm,The Mule.)

Let’s Have a Party!

A makeshift bar on the side of the stage opposite the Keith family keeps the party vibes flowing throughout the evening; the artists all gather there after their performances.

But leave it to merrymakerTyler Hubbardto move the party-hearty atmosphere to center stage with a raucous delivery of “Red Solo Cup.” One of the few Keith hits that he did not write, he famously called it “the stupidest song that I have ever heard in my life,” but also “freakin’ awesome.” The songs four writers, Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Brad Warren and Brett Warren, join Hubbard (as they joined Keith on the original recording), along withJordan Davis,HARDYand Jelly Roll.

Show Stealer

Perhaps the most surprising moment of the evening occurs when Jelly Roll announces Keith had “one more great performance” that had yet to be seen. Jelly then introduces a video of the late artist in his final studio session recording “Ships That Don’t Come In” for HARDY’sHixtape Volume 3, which celebrates the music of the lateJoe Diffie. In those brief three minutes, Keith steals the show with his interpretation of the song’s achingly wistful lyrics.

Call to Duty

Earlier, on the red carpet, Adkins said Keith’s “love for the men and women who serve this country was absolutely genuine. To be able to sing this song that meant so much to him means the world to me, too.”

Red, White and Blue Finale

Keith’s feisty signature song, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)” was the last song he performed publicly, at each of his trio of final concerts last December in Las Vegas. It closes out the tribute, as well, and perhaps it’s appropriate thatParker McCollum, among the bright stars of country’s new generation, takes the helm.

Though he never met Keith, McCollum explained on the red carpet that he grew up a huge fan, and he uses Keith’s career and life as a source of inspiration: “I’ve thought about how many times he probably had days that he was gonna throw in a towel. I’m sure he felt those things. But that man embodies what it takes to make country music in this town.”

McCollum doesn’t have to go it alone with his daunting assignment: Not only does the entire cast join him on the second verse, but the majority of the capacity crowd also lustily proves they know every last word of the flag-waving anthem.

source: people.com