I had the pleasure of not only watching Toby Keith perform, but also had the opportunity to meet him in person years ago. This picture (yes low- res quality and probably taken from a Fugifilm disposable camera, bc iPhones werenβt a thing yet π).
In a room filled with five star generals, USMC Commandant, the chief of staff, joint chiefs, and all of the powers to be from the Pentagon; in walked Toby with his band, in true and authentic fashion, wearing jeans, cowboy boots/ hat, with a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand.
The most memorable memory I have of Toby Keith, there are no pictures of. Circa 2007-2008 while deployed to Afghanistan, Toby made two visits to theater to support and provide some sense of comfort from home to our soldiers and troops deployed in combat. I was lucky enough to watch him twice, once at Bagram Airfield, and another at a very remote outpost called FOB Gardez – where only just a company sized element operated out of (about 150-200 soldiers).
In true, Toby Keith style, he flew in wearing cowboy boots/hat with a flak vest, and just a guitar. There was no band with him. There was no electric amp or speakers. For about 1.5 hours he played, acoustic, in the center of a small circle of soldiers, who, for moment in time during their deployment to war, were able to feel human again.
I remember sitting on top of an armored vehicle, called a buffalo (used for route clearance operations). Next to me sat, my Now husband, Eric, which at the time neither of us would have thought we would end up, married with two beautiful children.
I never had an opportunity to watch Toby perform stateside. But Iβm willing to bet thereβs no concert that could have topped what he did to Support, our troops and Afghanistan.
God Bless America πΊπΈ God Bless Toby Keith, an American Patriot.
